1- aeonium x praegeri
2- aeonium x praegeri upclose
3- aeonium x bollei
4- aeonium undulatum
5- aeonium saundersii
6- aeonium saundersii flowers
7- very branched smithii i bought
8- another very branched smithii i bought
9- aeonium calderense
Not particularly the most interesting hybrid I’ve created, aside from the sheer size of its inflorescence. SHEESH.
Hybrid is Aeonium diplocyclum x Aeonium castello-paivae ‘Sarae’ (AKA Aeonium castello-paivae var sarae, although it’s never been properly published so that name is not recognized, taxonomically speaking). Created by me 🤭
Shown in a pot 6in (~15cm) across.
This plant originally was a bit of a “blah” plant. It has mostly been a blue-green-grey color up until recently, after I decided to move it into stronger light and those Sarae colors started showing up more.
I wasn’t originally planning on doing anything with this plant but maybe I’ll try a couple of crosses with it now that it’s looking a bit more vibrant. I could do something really funny and cross it with Aeonium glutinosum, which similarly has some outrageously long, slender inflorescences compared to the rest of the plant. Could really lean into that ridiculous inflorescence, plus glutinosum could add some more reddish stripes and unusual leaf shapes to the mix as well.
We’ll see. If anything, I’ll probably just do a small handful of crosses with it. I know it may seem like an unusual plant, but flowers aside (and as someone who has now made hundreds of hybrids) it doesn’t really have that much to offer me that I couldn’t achieve with other more visually interesting hybrids.
Still, sometimes unexpected things can happen - like how this lil dude turned out to be absolutely PACKING lol.
I went away from home for 3 days and i came Up to this check u/aevriel 's posts for more information theyre amazing, they have posted pictures of their giganteum in growing season
The largest of the former-greenovias, though ironically one of the only forms which hasn’t yet been botanically recognized. You may also see this plant under the name “Greenovia diplocycla var. gigantea,” however…
and 2) the name was never actually published anywhere, so it isn’t accepted taxonomically. (And personally I think it would be better suited as a subspecies rather than a variety anyways)
‘Giganteum’, like its name suggests, is a gigantic form of Aeonium diplocyclum found in one specific area of the island of La Gomera. If you’ve read Marco Cristini’s Aeonium book, you’d know that he suggests that ‘Giganteum’ is “most likely a hybrid.” This is false, however (and while I think Cristini is an absolute gentleman and appreciate the work he does, if there’s one critique I have it’s that he’s a bit too quick to dismiss unusual wild plants as hybrids). There are no signs of hybridization and, truthfully, it doesn’t make sense considering that ‘Giganteum’ possesses zero traits of any of the other Aeonium species it cohabitates with.
In fact, studies have shown that there are both diploid (two sets of chromosomes) and tetraploid (four sets of chromosomes) forms of Aeonium diplocyclum in the wild, and it is highly likely that ‘Giganteum’ is one of the tetraploids. Tetraploidy is known to cause a form of gigantism in some plants, with there already being precedents in other Aeonium species. Aeonium simsii, for example, also has a larger tetraploid form and smaller diploid form (and also a triploid hybrid form between the two).
I’ve been lucky enough to have someone go locate, observe, and photograph diplocyclum ‘Giganteum’ in habitat for me. The problem with ‘Giganteum’ is that it isn’t entirely isolated from standard diplocyclum in the wild. The further north you go in ‘Giganteum’s’ habitat range, the more the regular diploid form of diplocyclum starts to appear. It makes taxonomic classification messy and difficult. How does one tell the difference between a juvenile diplocyclum ‘Giganteum’ and a mature regular diplocyclum? And what about naturally occurring hybrids between the two? In fact, it’s almost like the wild population of ‘Giganteum’ exist more as a gradient - the largest specimens all appear in one specific area, and the further you move away from that point the smaller the plants seem to become.
Regardless, Aeonium diplocyclum ‘Giganteum’ is a truly stunning plant. I grew mine for six years before it finally bloomed for me. I’ve made a few hybrids of it, and I’m also currently regrowing it from seed produced by my original specimen. There used to be a seed company ran by the botanist who discovered ‘Giganteum’, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on a plant grown from those seeds. However those seeds are no longer offered and most of the specimens I’ve seen labeled as diplocyclum ‘Giganteum’ in cultivation nowadays are branched hybrids (the true plant almost always remains solitary).
Igneum finally GOT Pink and giganteum IS growing by the second im so happy
'Kiwi' is one of the most commonly cultivated and sold Aeoniums, often seen for sale in big box stores, and as a staple of many succulent collections. But in my opinion, there seems to be a lot of misinformation surrounding this cultivar.
Firstly, Harry Mak first published this plant in Photo Album of Succulents in Color as Aeonium haworthii 'Dream Color'. The name 'Kiwi' was only published later by Schulz. Thus, the name 'Dream Color' takes precedence over 'Kiwi', and this plant should technically be called Aeonium haworthii 'Dream Color'.
However, this runs into an even bigger problem: a comparison of the reversion of Aeonium 'Kiwi' and Aeonium haworthii reveals that they are not the same! In fact, Aeonium 'Kiwi' is not a variegated form of Aeonium haworthii as was previously thought.
Aeonium haworthii typically has glaucous (waxy) leaves while the revert has non-glaucous, shiny leaves. (In fact, in the photo comparing the leaves, you will notice a slight thumbprint left in the waxy coating of the haworthii leaf from when I separated the leaf from the plant). You will also notice that 'Kiwi' leaves are somewhere intermediate of haworthii and decorum, being less broad towards the tip than pure haworthii, but not as slim as decorum. (note: Aeonium decorum is a variable species, the form pictured is not representative of all A. decorum).
In reality, I suspect that Aeonium 'Kiwi' is a variegated hybrid between Aeonium haworthii and Aeonium decorum.