"Korean" succulents, especially Aeonium

[Viegener]

I've been seeing lots of Korean succulents advertised online, varieties that I rarely ever see sold here. I'm wondering if anyone else has experience with them. Only about a quarter of the one order I made (from Korea) survived, and the ones that did are different from what I have but not exceptional.

I'm especially interested in Aeoniums like 'Medusa', 'Pink Witch,' 'Sunrise variegated,' 'Big Bang,' etc. 'Madrid' looks to my eye just like 'Mardi Gras,' which I have. 'Medusa' seems to come in several variants and I wonder if that's just a racket.

Any feedback & advice appreciated!

[edds]

I"be got a few of those and, as you said, some are truly distinct and beautiful and some are very similar to existing cultivars. There seems to have been a lot of chemical treatment of different cultivars to induce mutations. So it seems like a similar variegation pattern to Mardi Gras has been induced in a lot of different starting cultivars like Velour, Zwartkop, etc.

Personally I think Big Bang, Medusa and Superbang gorgeous, distinct and fairly strongly growing. Pink Witch is very distinct in the garden but I'm not sure how strong it will prove to be with all the pink areas.

Some of the variegated ones we have seem prone to reverting (Macaroon, Parakeet, Red Edge Variegated) and some seem very weakly growing and prone to rotting (Halloween Variegated, Eden, Green Tea).

I think in a few years a number of cultivars will have proven themselves and be new mainstays whereas many will have fallen by the wayside. It wouldn't surprise me if a new Mardi Gras type mutation replaces the original if one grows better than it.

[Epiphyte]

Interesting that you got them from Korea, since it seems like China is the main supplier.

Personally I haven't imported any but I've found, and purchased, most of the main ones locally. So far I've been fairly happy with them. Aeonium Pink Witch and Medusa seem the slowest.

Aeonium Superbang grows moderately fast and pups like crazy. I sold one to a friend, who I visited a few weeks after, and I didn't even recognize it, given that it was being grown in light shade.

Aeonium Ink Painting can get a nice fuchsia outline but I feel like the variegation isn't very stable.

I like Aeonium Peacock quite a bit.

Aeonium Big Bang seems to grow decently but I feel like there's a more contrasty variety, which I don't have.

A few of my different variegated Aeoniums have already flowered and I've been meaning to sow the seed. So far this year I've only sowed the seeds from a variegated arborescens. The seedlings were virtually all albinos and they died shortly after. This was pretty much my same experience with Sunburst. Initially I was so surprised and happy because I thought that the seedlings were variegated. But nope! They were albinos. Around 1% were pure green and I ended up tossing them up a steep slope across the street from a friend's house. It will be funny if any of them eventually tempt me to climb the slope for some cuttings. Heh.

[Aeonium2003]

From what I understand, a lot of these variegates are made artificially in China using chemicals and soil PH.

[edds]

Interesting that you got them from Korea, since it seems like China is the main supplier.

I haven't bought them all from Korea. Some are from a couple of sources in China, some from a seller in Portugal (prior to our Brexit nonsense) and some from sellers in the UK (All of those have imported from various places in the Far East though).

[edds]

From what I understand, a lot of these variegates are made artificially in China using chemicals and soil PH.

I believe colchicine treatments are a common chemical used. Not heard of soil pH being used.

[Aeonium2003]

From what I understand, a lot of these variegates are made artificially in China using chemicals and soil PH.

I believe colchicine treatments are a common chemical used. Not heard of soil pH being used.

I think I read it on the Surreal succulent page on Aeoniums...

[edds]

From what I understand, a lot of these variegates are made artificially in China using chemicals and soil PH.

I believe colchicine treatments are a common chemical used. Not heard of soil pH being used.

I think I read it on the Surreal succulent page on Aeoniums...

I'd take that with a dollop of salt. I'm not sure what mechanism could mean soil pH can cause a permanent mutation that would result in a stable colour change.

Perhaps they've misread something about nutrient deficiencies caused by pH in some plants? (But this is easily corrected by adjusting feeding or soil pH and I don't keep my Aeonium at a special pH!)

[Viegener]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I just looked at Surreal Succulents for the first time & they make a good impression. Has anyone had them ship plants to the U.S.?