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Aeonium smithii
The plant likes a sunny habitat or partial shade.
Always water a few days after the substrate has dried out. In winter, limit watering.
It can tolerate temperatures down to -3.9 °C in the short term. However, the plant is not hardy.
This succulent of smaller stature impresses with its beauty in detail. This is complemented by the cilia and fine hairs.
Aeonium smithii, also known as Smith's Giant Houseleek, is a succulent native to the Canary Islands, specifically the island of Tenerife. Here it grows on rocks and cliffs in forests with an altitude of between 150 and 2 150 m above sea level. This species is named after Christen Smith, a Norwegian naturalist who also worked as a physician or economist and lived between 1785 and 1816. It was also formerly called Sempervivum foliosum or Sempervivum hispicaule.
The leaves have a glossy surface and longitudinal, brownish stripes, mainly on the underside. The wavy edges of the leaves are rounded and have cilia and fine hairs on their surface. The leaves have a very pleasant hairy feel to the touch. The stems are also covered with dense hairs, which may partially fall off with age. Aeonium forms dense rosettes that can reach up to 15 cm in diameter. Overall, the succulent looks like a small, densely foliaged shrub.
The plant produces yellow, drooping flowers which create an interesting contrast with the hairy leaves.
The succulent can be lightly fertilised with cactus and succulent fertiliser at your discretion. Overall it is a rather small and slow growing plant. Its hairy leaves are the most appealing, and they do not lose their charm even when you look at them for the hundredth time. The beauty in the details hidden in the leaves of the plant does not get old.