Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum' (Purple Aeonium) - A striking upright growing dark-purple succulent with branched stems to 3 feet tall that hold 4 to 6 inch wide rosettes of purple tinged spathulate leaves at the stem tips. The yellow flowers form in long clusters in the summer.
Plant in full sun near the coast and partial shade inland. Water occasionally to infrequently. Hardy to 27 degrees F. This plant is great along the ocean and tolerates drought and is reportedly resistant to deer predation.
Aeonium arborescens is native to Gran Carnaria Island in the Canary Islands. This dark leafed cultivar received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1999. We also grow the cultivar Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop', which is a very dark selection of Aeonium arboreum. While we very much like 'Zwartkop' with its the tall arching stems and large heads of deep purple-black foliage, our form of Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum' is also a very nice plant with shorter stems and smaller heads of very dark reddish-purple foliage. It is also more vigorous and produces a fuller lower growing plant than 'Zwartkop'. For more information about the species and a listing of other selections and hybrids of it, see our listing of Aeonium arboreum.
The information about Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |