Eonium strikes with an amazing, unearthly appearance. It looks more like a disguised antenna of alien ships than a mediocre representative of the flora. Unusual fleshy leaves of any shape gather in rounded rosettes on long stems. The plant belongs to the family Crassulaceae and lives in the Mediterranean, as well as on the Arabian Peninsula and in Ethiopia. It is not difficult to take care of Eonium at home, which is why flower growers gladly start this amazing plant.
Botanical characteristics
Eonium is a long-lived plant, this is how its name is deciphered. The height of the bush can be from 5 to 60 cm. On long, fleshy shoots there are leaf rosettes with a diameter of up to 60 cm. Each year, several new leaves are added to them. In this case, the lower leaves gradually die off and the stem lengthens. The plant has a branched rhizome. Also, aerial filiform roots are formed at the places of attachment of leaves to the stem.
Like any succulent, aeonium is distinguished by a fleshy ground part. Sedentary leaves have a rhomboid or oval shape. Their base is significantly narrowed compared to the edge. The skin of the leaf plate is dense, smooth or slightly pubescent. It prevents the evaporation of moisture. Foliage can be painted in all shades of green, as well as red, brown or purple.
At the end of the shoot, an upright fleshy peduncle with lateral branches blooms. The pyramidal inflorescence is painted in bright yellow or pink. Sometimes the inflorescence itself resembles a small tree of unusual color, which is located in the center of an amazing plate. Eonium is a monocarpic plant. That is, after flowering, he dies. Instances with several shoots manage to survive by drying only the shoot that has flowered.
Seeds ripen in small seed boxes. Many small rounded seeds of brown color are divided by partitions.
Popular varieties and varieties
In the genus Eonium, there are about 70 species and decorative varieties. Many of them are suitable for growing at home. Each instance is very different from the previous ones, which can be seen in the photo of Eonium. Such a variety allows not only to choose a single variety, but also to create a whole composition.
Eonium is tree-like. A branched shrub up to 1 m high. Thick stems with a circular cross section are covered with light brown bark. Their top is crowned with a rounded leaf rosette of flat obovate leaves. A pyramidal inflorescence with bright yellow flowers blooms from the center of the leaf rosette.
Eonium is layered. This undersized perennial resembles a large plate. On a short stalk parallel to the ground, there is a dense rosette of leaves with a diameter of up to 50 cm. Small fleshy leaves tightly fit together without leaving gaps. A narrow, loose inflorescence reaches 30 cm in length.
Eonium Virginia. The species has almost no stem, and leaf rosettes are located on the surface of the soil. Large and flat diamond-shaped leaves with a pink base and a wavy edge are wide apart. A long peduncle (up to 1 m) is covered with yellow flowers, its top slightly wilts under its own weight.
Eonium Schwarzkopf. On long light brown stems are large rosettes in the form of amazing brown-black flowers. Leaf blades with a green base expand toward the edge.
Eonium is noble. On a short stem are fairly large heart-shaped leaves. They are painted a light green color and have a smooth surface. The long peduncle is covered with yellow flowers with an intense pleasant aroma.
Eonium Burchard. The fairly compact variety has dark green curvy stems. They are crowned with a leaf rosette with a diameter of about 10 cm. The base of the sheet is painted in bright green color, and to the pointed edge it changes to brown-orange.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of Eonium is carried out by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds are sown on the surface of moist sand and peat soil and covered with a film. It is better to do this in early spring. To speed up the process of germination, the greenhouse is kept at a temperature of + 20 ... + 22 ° C. Shoots appear within 10-14 days. The grown seedlings are carefully transplanted into individual pots without dive.
Growing a new eonium from a leaf or stem cuttings is much easier. Leaflets are separated from the stem or the top is completely cut off. The stem must be cut with a sharp blade at an angle of 45 °. Rooting is done in sandy or sandy-sheet soil. Deepen the seedling by 1.5-3 cm, depending on the original size. Soil should be regularly moistened gradually a little. The first roots appear quickly enough even without greenhouse conditions. During the rooting period, it is important to keep seedlings in a room with bright diffused light.
Place selection
If you choose the right location for eonium, care at home for him will become almost invisible.
Lighting. Throughout the year, the flower needs intense diffused light. Without it, the stems are greatly extended and exposed, and the leaves are smaller. If there is a lack of natural light, a fluorescent lamp must be used. On hot summer days it is better to shade soft leaves from the midday sun.
Temperature. In summer, it is recommended to keep Eonium at + 20 ... + 25 ° C. In intense heat, you will often have to ventilate the room or take a flower to the street. There he may be until the onset of cold weather. After this, it is necessary to provide a cool wintering indoors at a temperature of + 10 ... + 12 ° C. Cooling below + 5 ° C causes the leaves to freeze and fall.
Humidity. Eoniums do not suffer from dry air, so there is no need to artificially increase its humidity. To clean the leaves of dust, you can use a damp sponge or bathe a flower under a warm shower. It is important to ensure that water droplets do not stagnate in the leaf outlet.
Cultivation and care
Watering. Eonium does not require frequent watering. Moreover, it may suffer from excess moisture. Between irrigation, the soil should dry out almost completely. Even on hot days, it is moisturized no more than once a week. In winter, it is enough to water the flower once a month. It is important that the liquid does not fall on the foliage or accumulate in the shoots. Excess from the pan should also be poured immediately.
Fertilizer. In spring and summer it is necessary to feed aonium with special complexes for succulents. If only universal fertilizer is available, it is taken in half dosage. The solution is applied to the soil twice a month. In the fall, top dressing is stopped completely.
Transfer. Every 2-3 years, it is necessary to transplant Eonium. Large plants just replace the topsoil. In the process of transplantation, you should carefully examine the rhizome and remove the areas damaged by rot.
The pot should be wide and sufficiently stable. A layer of drainage materials is laid at its bottom. The soil should consist of the following components:
- peat;
- sheet earth;
- sand;
- turf land;
- pieces of charcoal.
Diseases and Pests
Eonium suffers from a mealybug invasion. This parasite hides under the leaves inside the outlet. You can wipe the shoots with a cloth soaked in soapy water or alcohol, but insecticides (Confidor, Actara) show better efficacy.
The plant is sensitive to rot, which develops when improper care. Preventive treatment with a fungicide 1-2 times a year is allowed.
The use of eonium
Eonium is often used to decorate homes. In warm regions, where in winter the temperature does not drop below + 5 ° C, aeoniums are used in landscaping to decorate flower beds and gardens.
Another important feature of the plant is its medicinal properties. For this, he is often called a plant-healer or surgeon. Fleshy leaves and juice squeezed out of them are used externally to fight inflammation, abscesses, herpes, acne. Plant tissues contain antiseptics that help cope with harmful bacteria. Means based on eonium juice also save from burns, abrasions and relieve itching from insect bites.
