Aeonium arboreum Phoenix Flame - Tree Aeonium

The Aeonium arboreum 'Phoenix Flame' is an extremely ornamental horticultural hybrid. Very compact, it also has the merit of growing rather quickly and branching out extensively, allowing it to form a magnificent clump. The numerous rosettes adopt a geometric shape close to perfection that is as appealing as the color contrast they offer. Their green heart thus highlights the purple of the rest of the foliage, which darkens even further with sunlight. Growing in most well-drained soils, this variety proves hardier than others. It can also be easily grown in pots in colder regions.

The Aeonium is a succulent plant of the Crassulaceae family, rich in about thirty genera and nearly 1400 species. While the walker may come across the Navelwort (Umbilicus) in nature, green roof designers will extensively use the Sedum genus for its drought resistance, as will gardeners. The Kalanchoe in our apartments or the Houseleek in our rockeries are other members of this very distinctive yet diverse family. The 45 Aeonium species, on the other hand, all share a family resemblance, with most originating from the Canary Islands. Their beauty lies as much in their colors as in the geometry of the rosettes they develop.
'Phoenix Flame' is a complex hybrid, resulting from the crossbreeding of Aeonium dodrantale with a hybrid. A. dodrantale is native to the Canary Island of Tenerife, where it grows above 600 m in altitude, on the slopes of the Teide volcano which sometimes receives a bit of snow in winter. A species of medium mountain, this Aeonium prefers partial shade rather than full sun when planted in warm regions. It has the particularity of forming numerous rosettes around the main axis, a genetic trait it passed on to 'Phoenix Flame'. It was crossed with a hybrid involving Aeonium simsii, a species truly from the mountains, adapted to partial shade or shade and hardiest of all, able to withstand fleeting frosts of -10°C! The other parent of this hybrid is the famous horticultural variety 'Zwartkop' with a large development (as a true Aeonium arboreum, it reaches 1.50 m in height) and widely used by breeders for its almost black dark purple color in summer that it readily passes on to its offspring.
Aeonium 'Phoenix Flame' has thus inherited all these qualities, making it a variety of great ornamental interest. Growing rather fast, it branches generously and quickly forms a very dense compact clump, approximately 40 cm in height by 50 cm in spread. It spontaneously forms numerous very geometric rosettes, measuring up to 10 cm in diameter for the largest, in which there is an evocation of the beauty of certain roses and the grace of Leucadendron flowers. Narrow at the base, the leaves gradually widen towards their upper quarter before abruptly narrowing to form a terminal point (non-prickly). The leaf edges are ciliate and while the heart of the rosette remains green, all the peripheral leaves turn purple, darkening when exposed to the sun. However, be careful not to expose this Aeonium to full sun in southern regions, as it has retained a certain sensitivity to too much sun, unlike most other varieties.
In spring, the rosettes produce decorative small yellow flower spikes against the darker vegetation backdrop. Flowering marks the end of the rosette's life, which will generally be replaced by small rosettes generated laterally. This renewal allows the plant to maintain its original wider than taller shape, and its well-grouped and compact silhouette. Like the Phoenix of legend, the plant is constantly reborn, producing new leaves colored like flames... In summer, the rosettes tend to close up and the plant goes into dormancy, causing the lower leaves to dry out, which should be removed to avoid any risk of rotting.

Having inherited better hardiness from its parents, able to withstand brief frosts down to -6°C in well-drained soil and sheltered from the wind, this Aeonium 'Phoenix Flame' can be planted on the Mediterranean coast and in the mild areas of the Atlantic coast. Pair it with other plants with distinctive silhouettes to create an exotic scene. The Chamaerops humilis 'Volcano' is a dwarf palm tree that will provide some shade to your Aeonium, while adding an ornamental touch in line with the desired spirit, with its uniquely exotic silhouette. A Dasylirion quadrangulatum with thread-like leaves of square section resembling a bouquet of green optical fibers opening in all directions, will complement and enrich the decor. And to add flowers to your setting, include a lovely clump of Hesperaloe parvifolia 'Rose des sables' which will reward you in summer with generous floral spikes in a unique colour between red and salmon pink.