Aeonium hierrense
El Hierro giant houseleek
A perennial succulent sub-shrub, up to 1.2m high, with a smooth or slightly-fissured, usually unbranched, stem topped with a rosette, 60cm across, of smooth dark green leaves, tinged red or purple and with fine hairs around the edge. A pink and white flowerhead, up to 50cm across, can be produced in spring
Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink White | Green Red | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green Red | |||
| Autumn | Green Red | |||
| Winter | Green Red |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H1CBotanical details
- Family
- Crassulaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Aeonium are evergreen succulents often of shrubby habit, with fleshy leaves in terminal rosettes on the shoots, and racemes or panicles of small, star-shaped flowers with numerous narrow petals
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Hierro Las Palas
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in full sun under glass in a cool greenhouse or conservatory; use a gritty loam-based medium and allow it to dry out slightly between waterings; for more advice see houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by stem-tip softwood cuttings or leaf cuttings
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Patio and container plants
- Architectural
- City and courtyard gardens
- Sub-tropical
- Low Maintenance
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to mealybugs
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.