Can anybody offer advice please.
I bought a Aeonium last year in a 5 inch pot.It is purple in colour and was
about one foot high with one main stem.
Since then it has grown to about two feet,and although the main growth is
still upwards,there are 'sideshoots'
Should I chop the top off to encourage the head to form,or leave it?
many Thanks
Colin

Colin, I had a magnificent specimen of Aeonium arboreum 'Schwarzkopf'',
the almost black leaved form in my cacti collection. I didn't dare chop the
top off in case doing so might spoil its appearance, or kill it. It
eventually grew to just over three feet flowering on the fourth year - then
it died! This is normal with Aeoniums, once a rosette has flowered, it dies.
If all the rosettes flower at the same time the plant dies. To grow well and
produce strong, well formed rosettes, Aeoniums should have full sunlight
throughout the year. Poor light will effect the dark colouration, I would
leave all the rosettes on your plant.

Bill Brewer
-------------------------------------
"Colin Spooner" wrote in a message:
Can anybody offer advice please.
I bought a Aeonium last year in a 5 inch pot.It is purple in colour and
was
about one foot high with one main stem.
Since then it has grown to about two feet,and although the main growth is
still upwards,there are 'sideshoots'
Should I chop the top off to encourage the head to form,or leave it?
many Thanks
Colin

"Colin Spooner" wrote in a message:
Can anybody offer advice please.
I bought a Aeonium last year in a 5 inch pot.It is purple in colour and
was
about one foot high with one main stem.
Since then it has grown to about two feet,and although the main growth
is
still upwards,there are 'sideshoots'
Should I chop the top off to encourage the head to form,or leave it?
many Thanks
Colin

------------------
If you wan't more plants, cut off the sideshoots and even the top, potting
them in gritty compost that is just moist.

Continue watering the stump that is left, and soon it will sprout again.

This is what I have done, and the origional plant looks as good, if not
better than it did before.

Plants to give away and if one flowers and then dies, you will have others
that can take it's place.

Be bold ;-))

Marina
E. Sx

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 20:56:42 +0100, "Colin Spooner"
wrote:

Can anybody offer advice please.
I bought a Aeonium last year in a 5 inch pot.It is purple in colour and was
about one foot high with one main stem.
Since then it has grown to about two feet,and although the main growth is
still upwards,there are 'sideshoots'
Should I chop the top off to encourage the head to form,or leave it?
many Thanks
Colin


IME Aeonium arboreum (of which Schwarzkopf is a variety) tolerate
being de-capitated extremely well. They just send out new shoots from
leaf-scars below the cut-point. If you leave the 'head' lying around
in a dry place for a few days to allow the cut surface to dry and
callous slightly, you can then pot it up in very gritty compost and it
will root easily (don't over-water it: keep it no more than slightly
damp. If in any doubt, don't water). You can also strip off the
sideshoots when they are a few inches long and root them in the same
way. Very willing and very suitable for charity stalls etc.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Thanks for the info.Much appreciated. Colin
"Colin Spooner" wrote in message
...
Can anybody offer advice please.
I bought a Aeonium last year in a 5 inch pot.It is purple in colour and
was
about one foot high with one main stem.
Since then it has grown to about two feet,and although the main growth is
still upwards,there are 'sideshoots'
Should I chop the top off to encourage the head to form,or leave it?
many Thanks
Colin