Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras’

This is a beautiful plant that even a novice gardener can take care of. It belongs to the genus Aeonium, a family of 35 succulent plants. The typical characteristics of Aeonium are glossy and waxy leaves that form rosettes. The rosettes are such a fantastic work of art by nature that one can easily mistake these succulents for artificial plants. The following are some things you need to know about Aeonium Mardi Gras, which is one of the members of this family.

Features Of Aeonium Mardi Gras

The Mardi Gras Aeonium is characterized by fantastic rosettes with emerald green and lemon yellow variegation. They also contain burgundy leaves, and they can also have some pink on them. The color intensifies from pink to burgundy if you have grown the plant in bright light but under a relaxed environment. The succulent is named Mardi Gras after the colorful Mexican festival due to their colorfulness, as we have seen above.

This slow-growing plant attains a maximum height of 10 cm (4 inches) and 15 cm (6 inches) wide. The rosettes can produce flowers, but it takes a long time for this to happen. These plants have flowers only once, and then they die. They are, therefore, referred to as monocanopic. A monocanopic plant flowers only once before it dies.

Placement

The Aeonium Mardi Gras grows in winter and remains dormant in summer and spring. This departure from most other succulents is a characteristic of plants in the Aeonium genus. It will help if you put it under the sun to give you the full spectrum of its colors.

Suppose you live in an environment where winter temperatures can go below frost, keep the plant indoors because it is not that cold hardy. On the other hand, if your area doesn’t freeze, you can keep the plants outside. If you want to keep it in the house during its winter growth season, place it near a window under direct sunlight for the best effect. This exposure will give the succulent all the colors it is meant to have.

The color of the foliage will change depending on how much sunlight you have exposed the plant to, and the changing color of the foliage has become one of the main defining features of the Aeonium Mardi Gras.

How To Water Aeonium Mardi Gras

In many ways, watering the Mardi Gras is like watering other succulents, except that it needs more water than others. You water it more during winter because that is its growing season. You should go easy on the watering during summer because the plant doesn’t need much water. After all, it isn’t growing. Give it just enough to keep it alive.

While watering these plants is a bit different in places with different temperatures. For example, these succulents require more water during winter, but not all winters are the same. Some winters are colder than others, and winter in some places is colder than winters in other places. These temperature variations affect evaporation rates, leading to either longer or shorter water retention.

The size of the plant influence the volume of water you need for the plant. The easiest way to determine how much to water your plant is by checking the moisture level in the soil. In the case of Aeonium Mardi Gras, if the soil is dry in the first inch of the pottage, you can go ahead and water the plant again.

Feeding

If you use the commercial potting mix when planting, you won’t need to feed the soil for the first year. The potting mix has enough nutrients to last the plant for that long. After the first year, enrich the soil by giving it a half-strength fertilizer for succulents monthly during winter when the plant is growing. Ensure the ground is moist when feeding because the fertilizer is water-soluble. Be careful not to overfeed because overfeeding can lead to your succulent’s death, so don’t increase the frequency of feeding or the strength of the fertilizer.  

Soil

This succulent requires more water than its cousins in the Aeonium family because it drinks more of it. Waterlogging is as lethal to it as it is to other succulents. It is, therefore, Imperative for you to plant it in well-draining soil. A mix of sand and loam usually works well; you can add pumice and the ordinary potting mix. These potting mixes are available for sale in many shops.

Grooming

The plant needs minimal grooming due to its excellent natural appearance. The green leaves make the rosette look less symmetrical. However, it would help to cut off drooping leaves and overgrown outer leaves in a rosette. All you need to groom the plant is a sharp knife or a sharpened pair of scissors. Having the tool sharpened ensures that you don’t injure the succulent in the process.

Potting

When potting an Aeonium Mardi Gras, you should always use a gardening pot or container with draining holes in the bottom of it, as well as the best, well-draining soil for this plant – a cacti-soil mixture or a loam mixed with sand. Tip: an organic-based soil can benefit this succulent greatly.

To pot this succulent, pour the soil into the pot to fill it halfway or a little over halfway. Place the Aeonium Mardi Gras in the soil and cover its root with extra soil. Water the plant until it begins to drain out the bottom of the pot a little bit, and keep an eye on it, continuing a weekly or bi-weekly watering routine.

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Pests & Diseases

Pests tend to be more attracted to Aeonium Mardi Gras. The most common pest among this succulent is scaled; however, other pests such as mealybugs, weevils, aphids, and even thrips can be drawn to it. When it comes to diseases and other potential issues, things like fungus, mildew, rust, lesions, and sun and frost damage are every day in Aeonium Mardi Gras. Additionally, cases of overwatering and underwatering are also seen in this plant.

Toxicity

Aeonium Mardi Gras, unlike other varieties of Aeonium, is considered to be a toxic succulent due to its containing saponins. Thus, owners should wear gloves when handling the plant to avoid skin irritation.

Propagating Aeonium Mardi Gras

There are four ways of propagating the Aeonium Mardi Gras; stem cuttings, leaves, offsets, and seeds.

Propagation by Cuttings

Follow the following steps.

1. Get a sharp cutting tool, a knife, or a pair of scissors and sterilize it with alcohol or methylated spirit.
2. Cut the stem from which you want to get cuttings. The knife’s sharpness is vital at this stage because you want to cut clean through the stem.
3. Put the cutting under a shade to callous for three to four days.
4. Stick the stem cutting a well-draining potting mix with the appropriate soil type and the proper moisture level. Rooting should start in two to three weeks.

You follow the above steps when you want to propagate using offsets. Just cut the baby plant instead of the stem.

To propagate by leaf, cut off a healthy, vital leaf at the base and follow the above process.

Propagation by Seeds

This is the slowest and often the most challenging propagation method. It takes a long, but the plant grows eventually. Buy certified seeds and keep them in well-drained soil and water.

Propagation Using Leaf Cuttings

Aeonium Mardi Gras can be propagated using leaf cuttings from the parent plant. To propagate using this method, find a healthy leaf on the parent plant. Whichever leaf you use shouldn’t have any damaged or discolored spots. Carefully cut off the leaf with clean scissors and place it in a dry area to give it a chance to callous for a few days. Then, in a new pot, pour in the correct soil to fill the pot about halfway, and place the propagated leaf in the soil. Water it as needed and wait for your new Aeonium Mardi Gras to grow.

Common Growing Problems

When growing any species of succulents, owners may encounter some problems – these problems are typically seen in all plants and can be mended most of the time. For Aeonium Mardi Gras, the most common growing problems are overwatering, under watering, sunburns, damage from frost, minimal sunlight, and pests.

Hybrid or Non-Hybrid Succulent?

Aeonium Mardi Gras is one of the vigorously growing Altman hybrid plants. This means that the Aeonium Mardi Gras is a cross of two succulents – Aeonium Velour and Aeonium #13 plants.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Aeonium Mardi Gras is a hardy, evergreen-like hybrid succulent that can survive with minimal attention. Therefore, this succulent is easy to care for and can be adequately handled by referring to the recommendations mentioned in this article.