Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum'

RHS Plant Profile
dark purple houseleek tree

Synonyms

Aeonium arboreum var. atropurpureum hort. ex Nichols.

Award of Garden Merit
Houseplants Cactus Succulent Conservatory Greenhouse

A lax evergreen sub-shrub to 1.5m, with deep red-purple leaves and conical panicles of small yellow flowers in late spring

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H1C

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
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added extra grit. Water moderately when in growth, not at all when dormant. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser 2 or 3 times in the growing season. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown at 19-24°C in spring or by cuttings of rosettes kept at 18°C and barely moist until rooted

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Patio and container plants

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and mealybugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free