Straight out of Dr. Seuss’s garden, this succulent was the first plant we considered for Petula’s “Wow” List.
What’s the “Wow” List?Aeoniums look fantastic and exotic from the start and are embarrassingly easy to maintain: no waiting for blooms, no deadheading, and very little watering (with good drainage). Aeonium Cyclops (a.k.a. “Giant Red Aeonium”) has rosettes of dark reddish-bronze leaves that remain virtually unchanged all season. One of ours was planted on a city sidewalk and withstood rain, winds and most passersby, but a bump from an excited street dancer did break off a branch. (It is vulnerable to breakage). If you have a watchful eye for frost, you can place this outside as early as April 1st, otherwise, it will thrive outside from May 1st until a hard frost.
When used in a small size it makes an unusual filler, and within two years it will grow into a beautiful centerpiece plant. We like to start off with a 5 gallon specimen for immediate size.
Aeoniums are not hardy in the Pacific Northwest, but you can bring them to a sunny window in a house or garage for the winter. The plant will become more green with less light, but will color up once it returns outdoors in the spring.
This grand Aeonium ‘Cyclops’ flower head (left in 2012) split off into three rosettes the following season (right). Click on any photo to enlarge.
- Structure (Thriller)
- Height: 3 feet in a container
- Hardiness: 25- 30 degrees. (Zone 9)
- Watering/Fertilizer: Low watering needs with good drainage. Doesn’t need fertilizer, but occasional feeding doesn’t hurt.
- Planting Partners: Succulents, Blue Fescue Grass. They also look great with beach glass, marbles, sand
This winter we’ll test ‘Cyclops’ performance in this very unglamorous woodbox.
Aeonium ‘Cyclops’, along with many other succulents, is standing tall after multiple September downpours.
It’s worth spending the money on a 5 gallon specimen for instant impact.