Aeonium zwartkop

[ralphrmartin]

Jane, when you tazke cuttings, make sure the bottom of the cutting is soft, green tissue, not woody, brown tissue. It's easier for the topcut to push out roots that way. Other than that, I don't bother with Aeoniums to let the cuttings dry off before trying to root them . I just put a bit of rooting hormone powder on, and shove them straight into dry compost, and start watering a few days later.

[Paul in Essex]

Paul, not sure if you are talking about A. smithii or Zwartkop. Anyway, I water mine throughout the year. A. smithii seems rather trickier to grow than quite a few other Aeoniums, but I'm afraid I have no special insights other than plenty of water in Spring when it is actively growing. But maybe that's what made it flower...

I was enquiring about A. smithii - so nothing special, interesting. I find it quite an enchanting species but have never managed to keep if for long. Maybe this time, outside, will be more to its liking.

[JaneO]

Thanks Ralph. They are definitely on the woody side. I shall try hormone rooting stuff to see if that will kick start them.
Jane

[ralphrmartin]

Jane,
trim the cuttings a bit to get rid of the woody part.
Ralph

[Liz M]

Aeoniums have a nasty habit of the stem dying off. It goes hard and woody. If you want to re-root it you must cut off all the dead stuff and get down to green soft tissue as Ralph says. Sometimes there are very thin roots growing above the dead part. Cut just under that and treat as a cutting.