How to care for Black Rose Aeonium
Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' · Crassulaceae
Glossy near-black rosettes perched on bare stems make this Canary Islands native one of the most dramatic succulents you can grow. It breaks the usual succulent rules: it grows in the cool months and rests in summer heat, when rosettes tighten and shed lower leaves. Strong sun is what keeps the foliage black rather than green. Water roughly every 12 days while it's growing (about every 28 in summer), give it direct sun, kept above 41°F (5°C) — dry air is fine for it.
Care at a glance
Water when the top few centimeters dry during autumn-to-spring growth, and only sparingly during its summer rest.
Direct sun keeps the rosettes tight and truly dark; in weak light 'Zwartkop' fades to muddy green and stretches.
Half-strength balanced feed monthly during the cool growing season; none in summer.
Mistakes that kill this plant
- Watering heavily in midsummer while the plant is dormant.
- Expecting black color in a shady spot — it needs sun to stay dark.
- Note that a mature rosette dies after flowering; letting every head bloom can cost the whole plant.
Seasonal tips
- Expect a summer sulk — closed rosettes and leaf drop are dormancy, not death.
- Grow and water it actively from autumn through spring, its true season.
- Behead leggy stems in autumn; tops re-root readily and the stump often re-sprouts.
Is it safe for pets?
We couldn’t place Black Rose Aeonium on a toxic or a non-toxic list, so its toxicity is unconfirmed — which is not the same as safe.
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Toxicity here is informational, not a safety guarantee. Those are our own records, compiled by following the ASPCA's published toxic and non-toxic plant lists and Pet Poison Helpline's plant poison list rather than copied from them — confirm anything that matters against those lists or with your vet. If your pet ingested this plant, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.