Cyclops Aeonium: Care and Propagation Guide
Introducing the Cyclops Aeonium, a succulent that captivates with its extraordinary beauty and unique features. This tall, evergreen plant boasts large rosettes with glossy, dark reddish-bronze leaves, complemented by a vibrant green heart. The Cyclops Aeonium is a crossbreed of the popular Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ and Aeonium undulatum, resulting in a visually stunning specimen. What sets this Aeonium apart is its ability to produce magnificent racemes of small, star-shaped golden flowers, adding an enchanting touch to its already striking appearance.
Growing into a shrub-like plant, the Cyclops Aeonium can impressively reach up to 4-5 feet in height and 3-4 feet in width when cultivated in ideal conditions. While it flourishes in well-drained soils under full sun exposure, it also tolerates light shade and poor soil conditions. As a succulent, this plant has a drought-tolerant nature, but it requires more regular watering compared to other succulent varieties due to its shallow root system. Rest assured, with the right care, this resilient beauty will thrive and bring joy to any garden, both indoors and outdoors.
Join us as we unravel the secrets of caring for and propagating the Cyclops Aeonium. Discover the ideal watering schedule, feeding techniques, and the crucial cues for its dormant summer period. Learn about its monocarpic nature, where each rosette blooms only once in its lifetime, making for an intriguing spectacle when the time comes. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting your botanical journey, this blog will provide you with expert advice and tips on growing the charming Cyclops Aeonium. Stay tuned to unleash your inner green thumb and harness the full potential of this exceptional succulent.
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Contents
How To Care For Cyclops Aeonium
Light
Cyclops Aeonium, which is cultivated as houseplants, requires a bright location with a lot of direct sunlight all year round. If the light conditions are not sufficient, the leaves grow deformed and elongated and die. A sunny and warm location on a south window is best.
Water
Cyclops Aeonium is to be watered moderately. The roots of the succulents must only be kept slightly moist. Before watering again, make sure that the top 1 to 2 cm of the soil is dry. Overall, it is better to water this plant too little than too often.
Cyclops Aeonium likes to be watered very sparingly during the rest period between October and February. This succulent needs to be given just enough water that the soil does not completely dry out.
Like any other succulents, Cyclops Aeonium does not tolerate waterlogging. Excess water must be able to drain freely or be poured out of the planter after watering because wetness quickly leads to root rot in these succulents.
Rainwater is cheaper for the Cyclops Aeonium, but this succulent also loves ordinary tap water that is not too calcareous.
Soil
The ideal soil for Cyclops Aeonium is a substrate mixture of nutrient-poor soil and mineral components. A substrate for succulents should be well permeable to water so that no water can accumulate after watering. This can be achieved by mixing 60% succulent soil (also called cactus soil) and 40% mineral components, such as gravel or perlite, lava rocks and some quartz sand.
The open-pored mineral components, perlites and granules support the airflow of the substrate. They store the nutrients and moisture but allow excess water to flow quickly after watering.
Climate
Cyclops Aeonium thrives well in warm temperatures between 18°C and 23°C. During the winter period, these succulents prefer temperatures around 12°C and as much direct sunlight as possible. Temperatures below 10°C are not tolerated by the Cyclops Aeonium.
Fertilizer
Fertilize Cyclops Aeonium with a weak solution of succulent fertilizer every four weeks during the growth phase. Do not fertilize during the rest period.
How to Propagate Cyclops Aeonium
The branching Cyclops Aeonium can be propagated by cuttings. At the beginning of the growing period, cut off 3 to 4 cm long shoots, let them dry for two to three days and then place the cuttings in moistened succulent soil.
For faster rooting, it is possible to dip the cuttings into a rooting hormone beforehand, but this is not necessary. The freshly inserted cuttings of the Cyclops Aeonium are to be placed in a bright but not completely sunny place until successful rooting and watered just enough that the soil remains a little moist.
After three to four weeks, the first roots should have formed. After about 6 weeks, the young plants can be put in a partially sunny to fully sunny location and then the plants can be maintained like full-grown specimens.
Cyclops Aeonium propagation is possible through leaves as well. Leaf cuttings are obtained from a single leaf that is plucked or cut as deep as possible from the rosette.
With leaf cuttings, a completely new plant grows from the leaf. If this is about one centimeter in size, it can be placed in a special substrate for succulents. Until the following summer, the young plant should not be exposed to the blazing midday sun.
