Aeonium balsamiferum
balsam-yielding giant houseleek
A succulent subshrub, up to 1.2-1.5m high, with thick, pale grey-brown branches, each crowned by a saucer-shaped rosette, 20cm across, of spoon-shaped, sticky, balsam-scented, pale green leaves with pointed tips. Flower panicles, 15-25cm long, of many pale yellow flowers appear on mature plants in late spring
Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Brown Grey Silver | Yellow | Green | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Brown Grey Silver | Green | ||
| Autumn | Brown Grey Silver | Green | ||
| Winter | Brown Grey Silver | Green |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H1CBotanical details
- Family
- Crassulaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Aeonium are evergreen succulents often of shrubby habit, with fleshy leaves in terminal rosettes on the shoots, and racemes or panicles of small, star-shaped flowers with numerous narrow petals
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Lanzarote, Cape Verde Is.
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow under glass in a cool or temperate greenhouse or conservatory or as a houseplant in filtered light, in a standard cactus compost (or peat-free, John Innes No 2 with an added third of extra grit or fine gravel) and allow it to dry out almost completely between waterings; for more advice see houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown at 19-24°C in spring (it does not reproduce readily from seed) or take rosette stem-tip softwood cuttings in early summer; wait until calluses have formed, then insert in sandy compost and in moderate light at 18°C, and keep just moist until rooted
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Sub-tropical
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
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