Aeonium ‘Velour’ is a stunning succulent that has been growing in popularity for years.
But despite its beauty, this plant can be a little finicky—especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.
If you’re looking to get your hands on your own Aeonium ‘Velour,’ then read on to learn how to properly care for it and keep it healthy for years to come!
in this article:
About Aeonium’ Velour’
Aeonium ‘Velour’ is a hybrid of Aeonium canariense and Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’. It is also the parent plant of the popular hybrid, Aeonium’ Mardi Gras.’
| Botanical Name | Aeonium decorum ‘Velour’ |
| Common Name | Aeonium ‘Velour’ |
| Family | Crassulaceae |
| Plant Type | Succulent |
| Origin | Hybrid, Garden origin |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Height | 2-3 feet |
| Width | 1-2 feet |
| Light | Full sun, Partial shade |
| Bloom season | Spring, Summer |
| Bloom color | Yellow |
| Water needs | Low/Average |
| Soil | Well-Drained, Loamy, Sandy |
| Tolerant | Deer, Drought, Salt |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 10-11 |
Aeonium ‘Velour’ Care
Aeonium ‘Velour’ is an easy-to-care-for succulent plant commonly grown as an ornamental due to its attractive, velvety leaves.
In addition, it’s known for being easy to grow and relatively pest-resistant, making it a good choice for beginners. In this guide, you’ll show you how to care for your Aeonium ‘Velour.’
Light
The Aeonium ‘Velour’ plant prefers full sun, meaning you should give it at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. You can accomplish this by placing the Aeonium in an area where it receives direct sunlight most of the day and then moving it to a part shade location by late afternoon.
If you do not have a place for your plant to get full sun exposure, partial shade is also acceptable. In these conditions, the Aeonium will begin to grow more slowly but still stay healthy if you keep its soil moist and provide regular watering throughout the summer months when it is actively growing.
To ensure that your succulent receives enough light, use artificial lighting or natural sunlight (even on cloudy days) and move them indoors as needed until they are accustomed to their new environment.
Soil
Aeonium ‘Velour’ is succulent, so it needs well-drained soil. For the best results, you will want to use sandy, gritty and airy soil with no organic matter. Using standard cactus or succulent potting mix might be a good idea if your plants are in pots.
If your plants are in the ground, add extra grit to ensure good drainage and avoid adding too much organic material as it may rot over time and become stuck between the leaves, causing them to die off prematurely.
You can buy premade potting medium labeled ‘cactus/succulent mix’ from any garden store worth their salt. This mix will work fine; you don’t need to add anything to it to make it suitable for Aeonium ‘Velour.’
Water
Aeoniums need more water than many succulents, as they have shallower root systems compared to other succulents and can’t store water in them as efficiently as other succulents.
The best way to tell if your Aeonium ‘Velour’ needs watering is by checking the soil with your finger or sticking a fork into it and seeing if there’s any moisture. If you stick your finger into the soil and it comes up dry, it’s time to water!
Aeonium ‘Velour’s watering schedule will vary depending on the weather, the size of your plant and its container, and whether or not it is in direct sunlight.
If you are in a warmer climate with lots of sun exposure (like Arizona), you may need water more often than someone living somewhere cooler like Seattle.
Temperature and Humidity
Your Aeonium ‘Velour’ needs a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees F.
If you can keep the temperature consistently above 60 degrees F, your plant will be happy.
They are slightly winter-hardy and can withstand temperatures as low as 40 degrees F, but they won’t do well if exposed to prolonged freezing weather (below 32 degrees).
It’s best to keep them in an area with air circulation around the plant to help encourage healthy growth. Aeonium ‘Velour’ plants prefer humidity of between 40 and 60 percent, but they can tolerate a range from 30 to 80 percent without any problems.
Fertilizer
Aeoniums are not heavy feeders, but they need fertilizer to thrive. Feed your Aeonium ‘Velour’ once or twice a year with a balanced fertilizer that contains an analysis of 10-10-10 or similar.
Work the fertilizer into the top layer of the potting medium around your Aeonium with a shovel, then water thoroughly.
Too much fertilizer can burn the Aeonium ‘Velour’ leaves and roots, so if you’re unsure how much to use, consider feeding your Aeonium once a year rather than every two to three months.
Suppose you’re adding new plants to your collection or repotting old ones and want them to show off at their best for an event like Thanksgiving dinner.
In that case, fall is generally considered best for fertilizing succulents since it will give them plenty of time before winter sets in (though some succulents prefer spring).
Pruning
Aeoniums are perennial succulents that grow in a rosette shape and are prized for their thick, fleshy leaves. You can prune them to maintain the plant’s shape and keep it from becoming too leggy.
When growing your Aeonium indoors, you should also prune it regularly so it will remain compact and bushy. If left unpruned, an Aeonium may become spindly and tall with rosettes going every which way haphazardly.
The best time to prune an Aeonium is right at the beginning of fall when the growth phase is just starting. This will ensure new growth is healthy and robust rather than stunted and untidy.
Avoid pruning during the summer, as that’s when the plant goes dormant and slows its growth drastically.
Propagating Aeonium’ Velour’
Aeonium ‘Velour’ is an easy plant to propagate. These plants have two main propagation methods: leaf and stem cuttings.
Stem Cutting
Stem cuttings are the easier method with a higher degree of success. All you need is a thriving Aeonium ‘Velour’ as the donor for a healthy stem with a fully grown rosette of succulent leaves at the top.
If you’re using a stem cutting that has multiple rosettes on it, make sure only one of them is taken off and used for propagation. The rest should be left intact to continue growing.
- Choose your stem cutting and cut the base of the rosette.
- You may want to use a sterilized knife for this process to be safe.
- Once you have removed one or more rosettes from the donor plant, allow them a few days or a week to callus over. This helps prevent root rot.
- Place the stem cutting into a container filled with a succulent potting soil mix that drains well and has ample drainage holes in the bottom of it.
- Set the container in a well-lit area but not in direct sunlight. Place it near a window or under an artificial light source for optimal growth conditions.
- Water the soil gets dry enough, but do so sparingly. Too much water can cause root rot and other problems for your plant.
- Wait until the cutting has developed new growth before moving it to a larger container or transplanting it into its permanent home outside.
Leaf Cutting
The Leaf cutting method is quite similar to stem cuttings but uses leaf material instead. You can use this method on several different plants, but it’s particularly useful for succulents and cacti.
- Find a healthy leaf from your target plant. It should be fully grown (at least 6-7 inches long) and free of any blemishes or damage that would prevent them from forming roots.
- Next, you’ll want to remove the leaf from its parent plant by gently pulling it off with your hands or using a pair of scissors if necessary.
- Allow the Aeonium leaf cutting some time to callus over.
- Place your cutting into a container filled with succulent or cactus mix. Water your cutting and place it in a warm location with indirect sunlight.
- Wait for the leaf to produce roots, which should take about two weeks from when you planted it.
Potting and Repotting’ Velour’
There is no need for repotting until the plant begins to grow too large for its container. This can happen when the plant grows to fill out its pot or if you notice that it’s not growing as vigorously as it used to be.
Usually, this occurs after about 2-3 years of growth, but it can be sooner or later depending on the size of your plant. When you decide to repot your plant, choose an appropriately sized container for its current size.
Repotting is best done when temperatures are between 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit (10-30 degrees Celsius). This is usually around the spring and summer months.
To repot properly, there are a few key things to note, and we’ll review the basics in this article. Just remember that proper care will help your plant grow healthy and strong!
Prepare:
How to Repot
- Remove all but 1/4″ soil from around your plant’s roots by gently pulling up on them; this will loosen them, so they’re easier to remove from their old potting medium. Use the trowel as needed.
- Lift the root ball out of the old container once the soil is loosened up enough.
- Fill the new container with the fresh potting medium you’ve selected beforehand. Leave some space in the center for the root ball.
- Place the Aeonium Velour in the center of its new potting medium and ensure it sits at a level with the rim. Add more soil around it if needed to create an even base.
- Don’t water until a week has passed and the roots have had time to get established.
AVOID
- Overwatering
- Placing under harsh sunlight
- Using poorly drained potting mediums
- Fertilizing during dormancy
Blooms
These blooms are slightly different from the other succulents you might be familiar with because Aeoniums are monocarpic. Therefore, they only flower once in their lifetime and die right after.
But don’t worry! That doesn’t mean your plant is gone for good; because the other rosettes will continue the plant after one rosette dies after flowering.
Luckily, each rosette is on a different timer for flowering, and they usually don’t all bloom at once.
If your Aeonium ‘Velour’ does end up flowering. You’ll be treated to the sight of small, star-shaped yellow flowers that appear on tall, thick racemes. These tall stalks rise above the foliage and end in a cluster of small, star-shaped flowers.
Toxicity
Aeonium ‘Velour’ is non-toxic to humans, pets, and birds. It is safe to be kept around the house, even if you have curious pets. However, try to keep it out of reach regardless, for the plant’s sake, if nothing else.
Common Pests
While Aeonium ‘Velour’ is relatively pest-free, some pests can become a nuisance occasionally. These are the most likely culprits.
Aphids
Aphids are tiny, soft-bodied insects that are best described as sapsuckers. They are usually found feeding on new growth, leaves, and stems. However, they can also be seen sucking on the underside of leaves.
If you notice these pests on your plant, try to remove them with a blast from a water hose or by wiping them off with a cloth dipped in soapy water.
Another good way to control aphids is by using a small dose of insecticidal soap product in early spring and throughout summer.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are tiny soft-bodied insects with white bodies covered in wax, making them look similar to cotton candy or sugar frosting sprinkled atop a cupcake—delicious but terrible news for your succulent!
These pests like warm temperatures, so if your home is sweltering during the summer months, they may also infest your houseplants.
Scale Insects
Scale insects feed by sucking plant sap from the leaves and stems. The damage that scale insects cause is called plant necrosis—a condition where tissues die and turn brown on the surface of your succulent.
If you spot a white scale-like coating on the leaves, it’s probably a sign that your plants have been infested with scale insects!
You can treat these pests by dabbing the affected area with rubbing alcohol or insecticidal soap. If you notice an infestation, consult a professional gardener in your area.
Common Problems
Overwatering
Overwatering is the most common problem for succulents. They are slow to dry and also struggle to handle overwatering, which can lead to root rot. This often occurs when you water too much in one sitting or if you don’t wait long enough between watering sessions.
Underwatering
Underwatering can also cause problems for your succulents, as they need water like any other plant. Without water, the soil will dry out quickly, creating a situation where roots need more moisture than what is available to survive.
Almost all Aeoniums need more water than most other types of succulents. Aeonium ‘Velour’ is no different. These succulents have shallow root systems that aren’t developed to store as much water as some other succulents.
Overfertilization
Too much fertilizer will cause an excess of nutrients that plants don’t need or want at this stage of growth/development.
This excess has been linked to why some people report that their plants begin suffering from various problems such as leaf spotting, rotting leaves, and stunted growth.
Aeonium ‘Velour’ is a succulent that is happy with a moderate amount of fertilizer during its growing season and is perfectly fine without any feed as well.
Shedding Leaves
Although it is normal for some leaves to fall off on their own during dormancy, if your plant’s leaves start to fall off at an abnormally high rate or if the stem is beginning to look bare and thin, this can be a sign of problems.
If you notice that your plant has started shedding more than usual, you should cut back on watering and fertilizing and consider repotting into a larger container.
Frost Damage
In colder climates, your succulent may be at risk for frost damage. This is most common when the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and there is a hard freeze.
In areas of cold winters, it’s essential to protect your plants. You can cover your plants with a tarp or move them into a heated garage or shed.
If your Aeonium ‘Velour’ has been damaged by frost, cut off the damaged parts and wait for new growth to appear.
Light frost damage presents as white discoloration around the tips of the leaves. On the far end of the spectrum, this could turn fatal, but that’s rare.
Aeonium ‘Velour’ : What You Need To Know About (Video)