Aeonium ‘Sunburst’
Synonyms:
Aeonium decorum ‘Tricolor’
Aeonium cv. davidbramwelli
Aeonium decorum “Sunburst”
The name Aeonium ‘Sunburst’ is not completely certain. International Succulent Introductions in 1993 (ISI 93-20) listed this plant as Aeonium decorum ‘Sunburst’. Later, in April 2002, the Huntington Botanic Garden announced that this plant is not attributable to Aeonium decorum and that it should be simply named Aeonium ‘Sunburst’ until its specific affinities can be determined. Some classify this as a hybrid of Aeonium davidbramwellii and it is also known as Aeonium arboreum ‘Luteovariegatum’.
Habitat:
This plant is native of Canary islands.
Description:
Aeonium ‘Sunburst’ is one of the prettiest plants from the genus “Aeonium”. It’s an evergreen shrub belonging to the family of Crassulaceae, that could grow up to 45 centimeters. As the other varieties of Aeonium decorum, it’s very branched: on the top of each branch there is a rosette, about 15-20 centimeters wide. Its leaves are a fleshy colorful explosion composed of a bright green central stripe and a creamy yellow. Its margins, as in “Aeonium decorum tricolor”, are red: especially if exposed to direct light. Its inflorescence appears in summer and is a raceme with pale pink flowers.
Cultivation:
Aeonium “Sunburst” can be easily grown in a well-drained substrate, indoor (in temperate climates), or outdoor if protected from winter frost with mulching. That’s because the plant doesn’t bear temperatures below 0ºC for long periods (it can survive if the low temperature last for a short period). Water it more or less every two weeks, when you see that the soil has become completely dry. The plant should be exposed to direct light, to enhance the colors of its leaves, but it grows well also in partial shade.
Propagation:
Propagation can be realized with the method of cuttings, in spring or autumn, by putting in soil leaves or apical rosettes (the cut part has to dry up before being put in soil). Or either you could grow new Aeonium sunbursts by seeds, taking care to maintain the soil moistured at least until the seed has sprouted.
Curiosity:
For its beauty, Aeonium ‘Sunburst’won the prestigious “Award of Garden Merit” of the Royal Horticultural Society in 2012.
