The dark bronze and variegated varieties of tree houseleek, Aeonium arboreum, are so much more popular than the simple species, that the simple species with plain green foliage is now rather rare. The succulent stems do not stand much more than three feet tall. They get about as broad, and can get even broader as lower stems develop roots and grow into new plants. The succulent rosettes of foliage of well watered plants can be fragile to handle. Mature plants can bloom in spring with unusual conical trusses of yellowish or chartreuse flowers.
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Tony Tomeo 
I am not sure I knew the common name for this–& now that I do, hmm. I am not sure I will use it. Some plants are just better left to their botanical names!
Karla
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Yes, it is not an appealing name. I still think ‘naked lady’ is funny, so I still know it at amaryllis.
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Gorgeous!
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Thank you. I think it is just a close up of those in my planter box downtown.
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And here I always thought a house leek required calling the roofer! I’d never heard of the plant, so I looked it up on the always useful Wikipedia, where I found this: “The common name “houseleek” is believed to stem from the traditional practice of growing plants on the roofs of houses to ward off fire and lightning strikes. Some Welsh people still hold the old folk belief that having it grow on the roof of the house ensures the health and prosperity of those who live there.” Interesting.
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It also sounds like a reaction to a well kept old Buick, “How SLEEK!”
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I never seem to be able to keep Aeoniums alive. I like them a lot, though. As unattractive as that may seem, I’m actually somewhat envious of those who CAN grow them. Maybe I’ll give it another shot this year… they are awfully cool!
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I find that the fancier cultivars are more difficult to grow. Those with big rosettes of variegated foliage are susceptible to rot. My simple green one grows like a weed.
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I have experienced exactly that. I’ve killed both a variegated one, and Schwartzkopf. A combination of too much water and not enough sun, I think.
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Between my two really big common houseleeks, there is a dark bronze one that looks like ‘Schwartzkopf’ (or ‘Zwartkop’), but it is quite resilient. It’s main problem is that as it grows, someone always breaks the top off and takes it. By the time it recovers, the process is repeated.
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I love them but they have to be indoors most of the year here
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That would complicate things. They are at their best through winter. They get rather sparse through summer, especially if the weather gets warm.
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I have a green Aeonium and a bronze one too. The green one was given to me by my son in Victoria, the bronze is from my eldest daughter in Western Australia. I grow them in pots together with a purple heart plant (Tradescantia pallida) donated by my youngest daughter who lives locally. When I’m watering them I call them, collectively, The Family.
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How cute. I took mine from the home of the mother of a fried when we were emptying it out after her death. It was such a cute old home in Monterey. Her family is one of the few families that had been in California longer than mine.
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