Aeonium 'Emerald Ice' flowering?

[edds]

As per the title - do you think this Aeonium 'Emerald Ice' is starting to send up a flowering spike or is it just waking from it's winter sleep?

Jon's Emerald Ice

[Herts Mike]

Aren't Aeoniums winter growers?

[edds]

Aren't Aeoniums winter growers?

True, but it's been kept cold so might have gone semi-dormant? It isn't my plant but my friend's and we were looking at it today. I reckon it's flowering, he just thinks it's gearing up for a growth spurt!

[Stuart]

I had a few Aeoniums where water got in to one of the trays in the winter, they had weak growth with poor colour. I've always treated them as summer growers and they have normal 'cactus treatment'. Emerald Ice should have a fairly flat rosette, it's a hybrid of Tabuliforme, and when it starts to stretch like this it's usually a sign of flowering but winter watering might have the same effect. Most Aeoniums benefit from generous watering and feeding during the summer growing period. Those put outdoors for the summer usually look better than greenhouse plants.
Stuart

[edds]

Thanks Stuart. My friend is still convinced it's just growth! We will see.

[edds]

Looks like my mate was right and it was growth rather than flowering! Would have been fun to try growing some seed from it!

[Paul in Essex]

It looks to me very much like either a variegated from of A. simsii or a hybrid of it - the leaves and growth habit are very simsii-like. In which case it is very much a strong winter grower. My plants (growing outside) shrivel to virtually nothing but tight balls in the summer then as soon as autumn comes they open up again.

[edds]

I've got two smaller ones that have recently arrived and have stayed much flatter bit they're nowhere near as big as this one. Will be interesting to see what it does for my friend this year.

[Stuart]

This is the one in the collection, it's been dry over the winter and is just coming into bud, it always pays to have a spare as this one will flower and die.
Stuart

[edds]

Thanks Stuart. That's looking suspiciously like my mate's one I think! Will show him the photo tomorrow! I've got a couple and think he has a spare too.

Have you tried growing from the seed?