Growing black flowers will appeal to creative gardeners who want striking and unique choices for their gardens and homes. Black rose succulents, in particular, are a great choice. But are they easy to grow?
The great thing about succulents such as black rose succulents is that they’re easy to grow, do well in sunny conditions, and don’t need a lot of water to be healthy. This article explores everything you need to know about growing black rose succulents.
What Is a Black Rose Succulent?
A black rose succulent, otherwise known as Aeonium Arboreum ‘Zwartkop’, is a succulent that grows black-purple leaves and clusters of yellow flowers. It thrives in containers, pots, and when grown in the ground. This beautiful plant originates from North Africa, the Canary Islands, and Madeira.
It looks gorgeous on its own or when paired with other types of succulents. Consider planting it in a large container with hanging succulents to provide visual appeal.
As long as you provide your black rose succulent with enough sunlight, you can successfully grow it indoors or outdoors, whether in pots or in the ground. Generally, black rose succulents are really easy to care for, so even though their striking and unique appearance might make you worry that their care is complicated, this is not the case!
You can buy the black rose succulent from online nurseries or in-person nurseries and garden centers, so make sure to check the next time you’re there. Online shops that sell these succulents include Amazon and Etsy.
If you’re struggling to find black rose succulents at nurseries in your area, contact your local plant society to find out if they know where you could shop for one.
How to Grow a Black Rose Succulent
Although low-maintenance, black rose succulents need to be cared for properly. Luckily, this isn’t difficult, so you won’t have to purchase artificial succulents instead (although these are pretty!). Here’s your guide to black rose succulent care.
Type of Soil
Black rose succulents require well-draining soil so their roots don’t sit in water, which can cause rot. A blend of a soil drainage ingredient, such as perlite and cactus potting mix, works well.
If you’re growing this succulent in compacted soil, you need to add some peat moss to it, which will encourage drainage and better air circulation.
Fertilizer
You don’t have to give your black rose succulent fertilizer, but if it’s struggling to grow, it could do with a boost. Feed it a water-soluble fertilizer. Make sure you dilute it to half-strength and only give it during the winter until spring when the plant is about to become dormant – it goes dormant during the summer.
You should never fertilize this succulent during the summer months. You’ll feed it nutrients it doesn’t want, causing damage to the plant.
Sunlight Requirements
As with many succulents, the succulent black rose variety wants to be in lots of sunshine every day. However, it’s not fussy, as it can tolerate full-sun and partial-shade conditions. Make sure that it gets about six hours of sun every day.
If the weather is very hot, keep it out of harsh sunlight as this can burn its leaves.
Proper Watering Schedule
Black rose succulents don’t require a lot of water. If your region gets rain during the winter, this will be enough to ensure that the plants will bloom when spring arrives.
If your region doesn’t get much rain, you should water your plant every now and then. It wants to be watered with what’s known as the soak and dry method, which means you give it a good watering and then allow its soil to dry before you water it again.
Pest Control
The black rose succulent is great to keep in the home because it doesn’t attract pests. However, sometimes aphids can be problematic because these tiny insects like to feed on the sap of plants.
To eliminate aphids, spray 70% isopropyl alcohol solution on the plants. If you don’t have it handy, you can whip up your own aphid-killing solution. Mix one teaspoon of dish soap, one teaspoon of vegetable oil, and two cups of water. Shake the solution well and then put it in a spray bottle before spritzing it on the succulent leaves.
That said, the main things to worry about with your succulent are fungal infections and root rot, which can be prevented by not overwatering it and storing indoor succulents in well-draining containers.
Indoor and Outdoor Requirements
Caring for your black rose succulent requires a few adjustments, depending on whether you’re growing it indoors or outdoors.
Indoor Black Rose Succulent Care
- Place your black rose succulent in an area of the home that gets at least six hours of sunlight every day. A south- or west-facing window in your home is ideal. If your succulent doesn’t get enough sunlight, its foliage will become pale.
- Make sure it gets enough warmth. Black rose succulents require temperatures of between 70 and 85°F (21-24°C). This shouldn’t be difficult indoors because a healthy room temperature range is between 68-77°F (20-25°C).
- Only water your succulent when its soil feels dry to the touch. Indoors, you should generally water the plant every week or so.
- If you live in an area that has a lot of humidity, your succulent soil will need more drainage-enhancing ingredients, such as pumice and perlite, so that it doesn’t become soggy.
Outdoor Black Rose Succulent Care
- Grow your rose succulents in an area of the garden that has sandy, well-draining soil.
- Plant them in an area that gets full sun, especially during the colder months of the year. However, if the sunlight is very harsh during the afternoon, you want to give it partial-shade conditions.
- Although your outdoor black rose succulent will grow larger than those kept in pots, you don’t have to prune it unless it becomes too tall. In this case, you can cut the plant stems four inches (10.16 cm) below its leaves. This will prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
General Black Rose Succulent Care: Repotting
If you’re keeping your black rose succulent in a pot, you’ll have to repot it every two or three years so it doesn’t get too large. You can tell that your plant needs to be planted in a new pot when you can see its roots growing through the drainage holes at the bottom.
Here’s how to repot your black rose succulent:
- Select a container for your black rose succulent that’s a bit larger than its previous one. The pot should have a diameter that’s a bit larger than the plant.
- Place some potting mix in the pot.
- To remove the succulent from its current pot, hold its root base firmly and remove any excess soil from it.
- With your finger, make a hole in the new pot’s potting mix so that it will fit the plant’s root ball.
- Once you’ve placed the plant in the hole, cover any gaps with more potting mix.
How to water it after repotting:
After you’ve repotted your black rose succulent, you should give it some water. But let its soil dry out for a few days before watering it again. This will prevent you from giving your plant’s roots too much water, which can lead to root rot.
How to Propagate a Black Rose Succulent
It’s easy to propagate your black rose succulent via stem cuttings. Although you can propagate your black rose succulent from seeds, this isn’t a common method and is quite complicated.
Here’s how to grow new black rose succulent plants from stem cuttings:
- Cut one of the stems from the plant and place it somewhere to dry.
- Plant it directly into fresh soil.
- Water the cutting every few days.
- Provide shade while it takes root, which should occur after a few weeks.
- Once that happens, you can increase its exposure to sunlight.
Extra tips:
- Choose stems that are mature to have greater success with growing.
- Be careful when cutting stems. You want to use sharp, clean scissors that make a clean cut without damaging the plant. Never use tools that haven’t been cleaned, as they could carry diseases from other plants or soil in your garden that will infect your succulent.
Conclusion
Growing a black rose succulent is easy and can be done successfully both indoors and outdoors. Some of the most essential care tips include:
- Giving your succulent at least six hours of sunlight per day.
- Ensuring proper soil drainage.
- Watering your succulent every week or two.
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