Aeonium goochiae ‘Ballerina’
Synonyms:
Aldasorea goochiae
Sempervivum goochiae
Habitat:
Aeonium Goochiae ‘Ballerina’, as almost all the Aeoniums, is native of Canary islands, specifically from La Palma, where it lives in the rocky areas between 100 and 600 meters above sea level, or either between other shrubs and trees, where it grows easily in the partial shade, unlike most of the Aeoniums.
Description:
Aeonium Goochiae “Ballerina” is a perennial, evergreen, low growing succulent: it can reach the height of more or less 20 centimeters. Its leaves are slightly concave upward, hairy, pale green, with a white, crinkled margin. They are densely grouped in rosettes: each rosette grows on the top of a stem. Stems are numerous, intricate. Flowering comes in the middle of the spring. The inflorescence develops on short branches and the flowers are 1-2 centimeters big, are pinkish, with oblanceolate, pubescent in the inferior face, petals.
Cultivation:
Aeoniums are species usually growing between the rocks: so they are used to a dry, well draining substrate. Although they bear drought, they need some moisture. In winter, water it when the soil turns completely dry, but pay attention: too much water can cause root rot. Test the moisture of the soil with your fingers, putting them 1-2 centimeters deep. The growth season is in winter and spring. In particularly hot and dry summers, the plant stop growing and, in condition of intense drought, leaves become curly to offset loss of water. Put it under direct light, or either in partial shade. The plant can grow easily in both conditions.
Propagation:
Aeonium goochiae ‘Ballerina’ can be propagated using seeds or cuttings. Cuttings have to be taken off during spring or autumn, paying attention to let the base of the cutting dry up before putting it in soil.
Curiosity:
The plants of the genus Aeonium are very efficient in the depuration of the environment and very robust. For these characteristics they are, among the plants, studied by NASA for future use inside the spacecraft. Its name derives from the greek word aionios, which means eternal, immortal, a name that has earned both for its strength and for its affinity with the Sempervivum genus. In fact the Aeonium are plants extremely robust even for the standard of the great family of succulents; they can tolerate long periods of drought, as well as short periods of intense cold.
