Hello and welcome to another edition of my blog and to the new subscribers that have found their way here. Thank you.
I know it’s silly, but I sometimes feel ‘Imposter Syndrome’ with my collection of Aeoniums as I have so far not visited actual species plants growing in their original habitat. Then again, I think, well, maybe there are quite a few people growing bonsai trees as a hobby that have never been to Japan ?
To put this right I would need to find an experienced person or guided group to go with as some of the terrain these plants exist in can be challenging or hazardous for a person of mature years like me, so maybe I’ll just continue to read and learn from the work of people who previously took on this type of plant hunting.
Meanwhile, as most of my collection celebrates dark-leaved Aeoniums that are cultivars, and would not be found in the ‘actual wild’ other than perhaps Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly, so it’s easier for most people to discover examples of these plants without the physical requirements or personal risk 😊
In many ways, locations like St. Michael’s Mount are the complete opposite of an actual habitat for Aeoniums as you’ll find plants from many geographical locations all in one place, sitting happily side by side, but nevertheless, it does create an incredible environment to see these plants close up. Many of the Aeoniums in this spectacular place are huge specimens that you would probably never achieve in a home collection or have space for, also the micro climate here means that they can often survive most of what the British weather throws at them.
Of course, when you have so many Aeoniums living in close quarters you will inevitably get cross pollination happening which results in many additional hybrids. Occasionally in these environments a new and notable plant is discovered, like Aeonium ‘Cornish Rose’ which was found on a Cornish cliff top in 2015 and propagated on by Surreal Succulents.
Just like any other plant group, you can decide to gather a little collection together, maybe as a reminder of a holiday, or go totally all in and get a little obsessed like me, but at it’s most basic level you can put together a small succulent plant group that will create added interest in your garden, plants that you could easily take back indoors over Winter and enjoy them all year round.
If you visit Cornwall you will find a few specialist plant nurseries that offer named specimens, or you can look up some home growers on social media that may have gate sales like in the village of Marazion on the mainland opposite St. Michael’s Mount. You’ll definitely find a bunch of plants to suit you. For me, I created the group below from cuttings given to me by Cornish friends two years ago whilst on a visit, these represents some of the succulents that you’ll see growing on places like St. Michael’s Mount itself.
If you’re not heading to Cornwall in 2027 you might find some Aeoniums to buy at local plant sales, garden shows or from other enthusiasts like me.
Join the Aeonium gang.
Thanks for reading and sharing.
Steve 🪴
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