Tarev, here's pics of a few heads. Note that within one stem, there's growth that was thin and growth that was thicker.



Not sure what that indicates; maybe times of more vigorous growth because of better conditions or what. This plant is older with the main truck that was wacked back to remove main head and in place, several branches grew. Just this Fall, a few of the head where the stem was very thin, keeled over 90 degrees and had started to put out roots more vigorously. Note that the heads that I cut off still shows the part of the stem where it was bent and had shrunken.



Not saying that this will happen to your plant but my plant had several that bent over severely maybe because of the cold? or because of the weakening thin stem?

Thanks for the photos Bev! Looking at my plant..yes, the top most portion has narrower stem, while the body is a bit bigger..the rosettes looks alive and okay..just that weird bending over. I will observe a little more. So tempted to whack it but hard freeze coming about. Might as well wait next week. Always something new with these plants.

Keeping fingers crossed now, hard freeze for a week

Yeah, us too. I'm not looking forward to the damage reports - we've had such an incredibly warm fall that many of our trees and plants are reblooming, when they should have waited for spring. Hope it isn't disastrous.

Next 24 hrs will be lugging in a ton of tender stuff, woo hoo!

I didn't realize you all got that cold down there - is this unusual weather for you Tarev? and Sheryl?
We are having very cold weather also. It was supposed to snow but instead seems to have cleared, but that always makes Seattle even colder! Crystal clear night skies though!
I'm not even going to show photos of my big aeonium plant, I know it'll come back. I waited too long to move it from in my hallway (where it was chilly and less light) into my apartment under grow lights! It lost most of its leaves - and so looks just like sticks but they look like healthy sticks! and they all have some growth on their tips...like I said I know they'll come back!
Tender succulents may not be a best option for me for plants...each year I feel like I just barely keep them alive under my grow lights and lots of 'tender' care...and then I put them outside and they thrive for a couple of months and then we begin the killing cycle over again...it feels like too much work! and emotional! I haven't lost any plants yet this year, but its only early December!

Man, can I relate to that cycle, Greg. With the few Aeoniums that I have, it's twice that - they have to be brought in for both winter and summer.

We can hit freezing and below - the difference is that it is measured in hours, not days. Last year we got hit really hard - not that it got that cold, but it reached freezing for 3-4 nights in a row. Lots of plant died, lots were really disfigured. Hopefully this one won't be so bad!

That would be a pain Sheryl, I'd wanna get a greenhouse to leave them all year round! (twitching nose like Samantha Stevens and poof! A greenhouse and the space to have one! )

I'll have to talk to Santa!

??? why not leave them out?


they really dont seem to mind...

Hi Greg, well, it is not usual for the hard freeze temps to come this early...usually we have it in January.

It is a little dicey with the succulents, I leave most of them outside, but when it is a hard freeze, it does take its toll, the results come out much later, becomes more pronounced when the rains come. Double trouble. I find that temps up to 32F is okay with some of them..but make it much lower, sometimes we get that rare 21F, it will really be death to the plants. I am counting on no rain, and hopefully the plants will survive. So far the forecasts in our area are showing the lowest at 23F on Saturday, but starting tonight it is hovering in the 25F-30F range at night.

Frosty plants

Oh...they look chilled to the bone..the epi showing the cold burn already..poor thing...I hope my epis will not get that! fingers crossed!

The epi has been divided and half of it is safely at my friends. I doubt that it will overwinter outside...

Oh good to know that it has siblings safely stowed What is your temp like right now? I guess all of us here in the West, up or down will have it coldest by Friday. I was just checking my friend's temps..they are in Calgary, and by Friday they will have -35F, brutally cold...cranky pots cold weather for all!

last night was 28 f saturday is supposed to have a high of 32 and a low of 19 f !!!
now thats cold for seattle

Tarev nailed it - we're also supposed to get rain today, and that could just about finish off a lot of my plants, mainly because those in the ground are barely established, if at all. Thank goodness we're not getting 23º - I hope!

So, what is the lowest temp you allow your Aeoniums to take? This is a plant that is fairly new to me, I'm still trying to find the balance between over/under watering them, etc. I am fortunate to have a large south-facing covered porch, perhaps they could live there for a while?

Edited to add, I probably need to change out their soil as well, but don't have a good idea as to what to use.

Aeoniums should be good to 25 or so. Dont forget thermal mass, the ground holds heat and if you can plant south facing with a wall or whatever behind it it will stay warmer.

now that i think about it if i was really smart i would paint the white brick face black in the fall and white in the spring... humm

LOL - who has that kind of time? If it can move, paint one side white and one side black and switch.

You're right about the thermal mass - when I get off the computer ( ) I'll go back to massing any potted plants on the porch. Luckily, many of my newer plants are put next to large rocks, which will help both with heat retention and something to drape any frost cover over. Looks like it'll be sheets, this year!

I find my aeoniums handle the cold well so far, well except for that one that is now bending, all the rest is on active growing time for it. Love the burgundy colors coming about as it gets chilled.

My Crassula ovata 'Gollum' suffered a lot when I have it on the ledge even if it is southwest facing, almost killed it. But it came back well and good, much improved when I have moved the container against our house.

We do need rain here..but it will be really bad for the succulents on a hard freeze week.