Aeonium Haworthii (Pinwheel Aeonium)

Another member of the Crassulaceae family is a native of Tenerife, Canary Islands, and North Africa. This plant’s natural habitat is quite sunny, and it is, therefore, adapted to full sunlight. Its adaptability to the sun enables it to do well outdoors. It is not well suited for frost, and exposure to freezing temperatures can lead to the plant’s death.

The most critical part of the plant, however, is the roots. If the roots survive the frost, the entire plant will also survive. It would regrow in warmer weather even if the shoot seemed not to have survived the frost.

Like other plants in the Aeonium family, its leaves form into rosettes, and this one has beautiful colors and a showy structure. Though it doesn’t like frost, the plant grows in winter and remains dormant in summer. It attains a maximum height of two feet (sixty centimeters).

The temperature that allows this plant to attain maximum growth is between 55 to 80 Fahrenheit (12 to 26 degrees Celsius.) It prefers a humidity level of between fifty and sixty percent.

Each of these rosettes can attain a maximum of 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter. The leaves are fleshy with a rich bluish-green color with a brownish lining on the edge. The plant produces pink-yellowish flowers the stalk from which the flowers grow rises from the center of the rosette and has small leaves. These flowers occur in late spring and early summer.

Toxicity

Some of the plants in the genus are toxic, but Aeonium Haworthii is not. You, therefore, don’t need to keep it away from your pets and children, you can place it where its beauty can be seen best.

The following are some tips on how to care for it.

Placement

You can grow these plants either in direct or indirect sunlight. It can withstand up to six hours of direct sunlight. Thus, you can plant it outdoors. However, the scorching mid-day summer sun may be too much for it. You should find ways to shade the tree from the hot sun. It is also possible to plant this succulent indoors and enjoy the full benefits of its beauty. All you need to do is place it next to a western or southern window from which it will get direct sunlight. Ensure the plant is exposed to sunlight at least four days daily to ensure good health.

Aeonium haworthii does best when planted on well-draining soil. Make sure you get a good mix of loamy and sandy soil to plant it on. If you go for commercial pottage, mix it with pumice for better drainage. The ability of water to drain quickly is vital for this and all succulents because they get root rot if they remain in soggy soil.

You shouldn’t focus so much on drainage and forget about nutrients in the soil. This plant requires the ground to be nutrient-rich to facilitate healthy growth. The soil should, therefore, have a combination of porosity and fertility. The best soil has a neutral or mildly acidic pH, and you should maintain it at that level even when you feed the plants. Ensure you neutralize it with lime if it becomes too acidic.

To further reduce the possibility of waterlogging, plant Aeonium haworthii in a previous terracotta pot if you are planting it indoors. Terracotta pots are breathable, allowing water to evaporate quickly, thus keeping your pottage dry.

Watering

Aeonium Haworthii doesn’t do well in waterlogged soil because sogginess causes root rot. It would help if you watered the tree more during its growing season, winter because it needs it to facilitate increased metabolic activity.

Check the pottage to ensure the moisture content has reduced enough to give your plant another drink. You find out if the moisture content is high by sticking your finger to the soil. If moisture is within one inch of the soil’s depth, don’t water.

 While too much water is dangerous for this succulent, it is noteworthy that it requires more moisture than other succulents, including most of its Aeonium cousins. Wait until the first inch is dry to give the succulent another drink of water. With time, you will get the plant’s rhythm and have a pretty good feeling of when to water the pinwheel plant.

ALSO READ: Aeonium Arboreum Care Guide A-Z

Feeding

Earlier, we mentioned that Aeonium haworthii does well in fertile soil. The original pottage should typically be rich in nutrients, but it will eventually get depleted. Thus you must feed the plant after the first year because nutrients in the soil will have reduced substantially after the plant has been feeding on it for a year.

You should apply a half-strength balanced fertilizer once per month during winter. Winter is the growing season, so you feed the plant then. Feeding in summer and other seasons can only lead to waste. Don’t overfeed the plant even in winter; too much fertilizer can kill it. Thus, it would help if you kept the concentration of the fertilizer at strictly half strength and the frequency of feeding strictly once per month and even then only in winter.

Grooming

Aeonium haworthii growth can become unruly, and it, therefore, needs trimming from time to time. It would help to cut off the overgrown leaves with a sharp knife. As we shall see below, the leaves are helpful because you can use them for propagation.

You can also remove the branches growing taller than others to encourage the growth of other stems. If there are broken stems, you should cut them below the damaged section to allow more stems to sprout from the stump.

Also, you should remove the flowers that fall on the pottage to ensure they have no contact with the base of the stem. These flowers tend to rot, and the plant is susceptible to decay, so they might infect the stem, leading to basal stem rot.

Propagation

You can propagate Aeonium Haworthii with cuttings, offsets, and seeds.

Cuttings

This is the most effective propagation method. Take the following steps.

1. Take a knife and sterilize it with rubbing alcohol or methylated spirit.
2. Select a healthy stem from the succulent and cut it at the base.
3. Allow the stem to dry off for a few days under the sun.
4. Plant the cutting on well-drained soil and water sparingly.

Rooting should occur in two to three weeks.

You can also propagate using leaves. Pick healthy leaves and cut them off at the base, where the leaf connects at the stem. You should leave no part of the leaf on the stem. Otherwise the propagation won’t work. Follow the steps above to grow your new plant. The leaf will eventually become a whole plant, but It will take longer than a stem cutting.

Offsets

• Cut off the offset using a sharp sterilized knife.
• Put the offset under shade and allow it to be callous
• Plant it in the correct type of soil and wait.

Propagating using the offsets takes a little longer because you have to wait until one appears on the mother plant. Once you propagate the plant and pot it, you might need to re-pot after about two years. The reporting frequency is not as high as other plants because it has relatively shallow roots.

Seeds

Propagating through seeds should be the last option as seeds may not produce mature plants as quickly as other propagation methods. Don’t try to use your seeds; their vitality may be poor. Get certified seeds from a recognized seller.

• Plant your seeds on well-draining soil, not deeper than one centimeter under the ground.
• Water the seeds gently after planting. Please note that the soil should be well-draining to avoid waterlogging.
• Allow the water to dry off before watering again.
• Keep watering the seedlings when they sprout and never allow waterlogging.

Pests and Diseases

The most common pests that affect Aeonium Haworthii are mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites. The best way to manage these pests is catching them before the infestation by endeavoring to see them before it gets serious. Once you notice the problems, spray them with a mix of water and soap. The soap will burn the insects and dislodge them from the plant.

Root rot is the primary ailment affecting this plant. It is usually a result of overwatering; thus, it isn’t a problem for you if you follow the guidelines for watering. When you see the leaves yellowing or otherwise changing, you should check if the roots are rotting.

Conclusion

Taking care of Aeonium Haworthii isn’t too complicated. This beautiful plant can grace any part of your house because it is not toxic. It is easy to maintain and, therefore, ideal for busy plant parents. It would help if you always kept in mind that the plant is sensitive to overwatering and not cold hardy. Follow the guidelines above; you will get the best from this beautiful succulent.