Aeonium 'Firecracker' variegated (v)

RHS Plant Profile

tree houseleek 'Firecracker' variegated

Cactus Succulent Conservatory Greenhouse Houseplants

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A succulent evergreen subshrub, with thick stems tipped with rosettes of long, narrow, variegated green and pale yellow leaves that are edged with fine hairs. Leaves tint pink to dark red in strong light

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H1C
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Crassulaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
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: Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Best grown in containers, in a free-draining medium in part shade or bright filtered light. Water moderately when in growth, not at all when dormant, and feed 2 or 3 times during the growing season. Overwinter in a greenhouse, conservatory or indoors. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by stem cuttings, kept at 18°C and barely moist until rooted

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Houseplants
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required, though stems can be lopped during the growing period to keep plants compact

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and mealybugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free