They may look a smidge prickly, but once you get up close, black rose succulents are actually pretty cute.
Their name comes from the black, velvety covering on their leaves, but there are other plants with black leaves, too.
Thanks to their uniqueness and resilience, black rose succulents are popping up in homes and offices around the country.
There are several types of black rose succulents, including Sedum morganianum (also known as black rock rose), Sedum rupestre (also known as heart-leaved stonecrop), Sedum laterites (also known as laterite stonecrop), and Sedum rupestre or Agave attenuata (also known as rock agave).
If you are fascinated by unique plants and are interested in the fantastical shapes and foliage of some cacti and succulents, you might want to take a look at the Black Rose Succulent plant.
The Black Rose or “Zwartkop” Aeonium Arboreum is one of the most striking and beautiful succulents you can find. Lucky for you, with proper care and nourishment, you can even grow one in your succulent garden!
Let’s find out more about the Black Rose Succulent plant:
Table of Contents
Black Rose Succulent Overview:
The plant is named the Black Rose because of its deep purple, almost black, fleshy leaves that grow almost like a rose in layers.
It is a low-maintenance plant, so most people can grow it in their gardens and help add to the garden’s natural beauty.
Even though a Black Rose is a low-maintenance plant, if it does not receive the care and nourishment it needs to thrive, the plant will not be able to thrive.
Therefore, you have to make sure that you are giving it the perfect conditions to propagate as a plant.
Does Black Rose Succulent Require Specific Soil?
Succulents generally need soil that is different from the soil you are growing your other plants in.
The Black Rose is no different in this regard since it also needs well-draining soil to thrive. You can use pearlite, pumice, or coarse sand on the soil to make it well-draining.
Alternatively, you can also use gravel or crushed stone as a layer on the topsoil to help the plant grow without too much moisture.
This is because a layer of gravel has large spaces where water passes through easily.
Also, keep in mind that areas with low humidity need less draining soil since there is a slight chance of under-watering.
Vice versa, places with high humid conditions need more draining soil since there is a slight chance of over-watering.
Using common soil, compost, and fertilizer for the Black Rose and other succulents will likely be easy to over-water.
Overwatered succulents lose their turgidity, often become soft, and their roots also begin to rot.
Soil for succulents and cacti is easily available in stores and works perfectly well for the Black Rose succulent as well.
However, it is also possible to make your own potting mix with the help of pumice, perlite, and non-peat potting mix.
You can alter this mix as per your own requirements, too, since you will understand the needs of your plants more comprehensively.
Water And Temperature Requirements For Black Rose Succulents
Since the Black Rose is such a fascinating plant, it is only reasonable to believe that it will have special watering and temperature needs.
The good news is that even the Black Rose, like all other succulents, is very low maintenance in this regard and will grow with the most basic care.
The watering needs of the Black Rose largely depend on the climate of the place you want to grow it.
You will need to water the plant minimally in places with high humidity: around once a week or maybe even once in two weeks.
In areas with hot, dry conditions, you will want to water the Black Rose more often, maybe once in two weeks.
In very hot climates, you will also want to lightly spritz the leaves and the stem of the Black Rose to prevent it from getting scorched by the sun and dying.
If you do not meet the watering conditions for the Black Rose and water the plant less often, it will be under-watered. It might start shriveling up, lose its turgidity, and die.
Under watered plants may also suffer from root rot and are more susceptible to diseases and attacks from pests.
The Black Rose is also a very resilient plant and can survive in most temperatures. The plant can grow fairly well even if the temperature goes below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
The plant is able to grow to its best ability when it is kept between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. In temperatures that fall way below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant can actually get frostbite and die.
Fertilizer For The Black Rose Succulent
You do not need to think about fertilization too much for the Black Rose succulent. This is because too much fertilizer can harm the plant since it is low-maintenance and doesn’t need too much nourishment and fidgeting.
The ideal way to use fertilizer on the plant is by using a water-soluble mix that is diluted to half of its original concentration.
You should use this mixture on the plant once a month, from winter to spring. After this time, the plant becomes dormant and does not need any kind of nourishment.
Using fertilizers for this time can actually harm the plant.
How To Propagate Black Rose Succulent
It is possible to grow a healthy Black Rose succulent with the help of seeds. However, propagation is the quickest and easiest way to grow a new Black Rose succulent in your garden.
Propagation uses cuttings and pups from plants and grows them in water, soil, or otherwise to grow an entirely new plant from them.
Propagation is very common among most types of cacti and succulents, including the prickly pear and the Black Rose is no different.
The Black Rose succulent is not propagated from its leaves. You have to propagate it through stem cutting only.
There is almost a complete guarantee of the Black Rose blooming and growing into a healthy plant when you propagate it through stem cuttings.
Here are the steps you should follow to propagate a Black Rose succulent through stem cuttings:
- When the stem of the plant grows tall, the leaves closer to the base will wither and fall and the stem will be bare.
- Use a sharp knife or a pair of scissors to cut the stem from the plant. Once the cutting has been removed, allow it to callus for a few days. Thick stems take longer to dry than thin stems. You should dry the stem for at least 24 hours.
- Apply rooting hormone to the base of the stem if you want it to propagate quickly.
- When the stem has completely callused at the base, you can place it in potting soil.
- After every 3-4 days, water the soil.
- Do not expose the stem to direct sunlight since it will hinder the propagation and may even scorch the stem.
- The roots will begin to develop in a few weeks and will soon be able to hold the stem in place in the soil firmly. You can lightly pull on the plant to know how well-developed the roots are at any point.
- The plant should slowly be exposed to sunlight as it matures since too much exposure right off the bat will harm the plant.
- The plant also needs less watering as it matures, so you can reduce the frequency of watering to once a week or less, depending on the climate in the area.
This is a very easy process to propagate Black Rose from stem cuttings, and since the plant is easy to propagate and low-maintenance, if you can find a stem cutting, you can easily make it a part of your garden without much hassle.
How To Care For Black Rose Succulent
Caring for a black Rose succulent is similar to caring for most other types of succulents. The plants depend on sunlight, food, and water to survive.
However, it is necessary that you understand the specifics of these requirements to grow a healthy plant.
Remember that the Black Rose succulent is a very resilient plant. There is a higher chance of harming it by over-nourishing than by under-nourishing.
Therefore, you need to be very careful about the feeding pattern and the general care habits of your plant.
First of all, remember to not over-water it. In hot and dry climates, the plant needs to be watered once a week, and in a cool and humid area, the plant should be watered once in ten days.
In either case, the frequency should rarely be more than once a week. You can, however, mist the plant from time to time to prevent it from getting sun damage or heat damage.
Secondly, use a soil mixture that specifically caters to the plant. You can buy one in the store or make one on your own as well.
You can use gravel for the top layer of the soil to make the plant survive in a well-draining environment and reduce any chances of over-watering or moisture damage.
Try not to grow the plant in very cold climates where it could get frostbite. Even though the Black Rose is a very resilient plant, it can easily get frostbite and die in freezing temperatures.
The ideal temperature for the plant is 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do not use an abundance of chemical insecticides on the plant since it can harm the soil and plant growth.
If you see that pests are beginning to accumulate on the plant, you can try making your own pesticide with dish soap and water to get rid of the pests.
Lastly, do not use an abundance of fertilizer on the plant either. Do not use fertilizer at all when the Black Rose is in its dormancy stages.
You should only use it in the winter months and that too in a diluted mixture.
If you take care of these helpful tips and methods of care, you will be sure to have a healthy Black Rose succulent on your hands, brightening up the color scheme of your garden.
Black Rose Succulent Dormant Stages
Like many other plants, when the Black Rose succulent is under stress or needs to go into survival mode, it slowly sheds all of its leaves.
This usually happens in the summer months or when the temperature in the surroundings is too high. The plant can also begin shedding its leaves when it is not given enough care.
When the Black Rose succulent begins to enter dormancy, the plant starts drooping and has a wilted appearance.
The stem also appears slightly shriveled. You might get confused and think it’s dying as well. However, it’s just the plant trying to combat the high-stress levels.
If you notice the plant entering its dormant phase, do not fidget with it. Do not add any fertilizer to the plant or try to use the stem for propagation since it will end up killing the plant.
Even repotting is a bad idea during this time. You may only continue watering the plant as your schedule dictates since it still needs water to survive.
People in humid areas and cooler temperatures often don’t even need to water their plants during dormancy.
Once the temperatures cool and drop enough, the stem will slowly spring back to life. You will notice the turgid appearance and the leaves growing on the stems slowly, returning the plant to its original glory.
Where Should We Grow Black Rose Succulents
Black Rose Succulents are ideally outdoor plants. They need plenty of sunlight to survive and mostly take care of themselves when they are outdoors.
You will have to fidget with them and care very little when they are in your garden with your other plants.
However, since the plant is very hardy and resistant to most conditions, you can also grow it indoors.
However, the steps for taking care of the plan when you are indoors are slightly more detailed than for an outdoor Black Rose succulent.
Here are the care tips more most of these plants:
Outdoor Black Rose
The most significant difference between Black Rose succulents outdoors and indoors is the sun exposure.
There is more sun outside, and that is mostly a good thing for The Black Rose. This is because they need a good amount of sunlight to grow into healthy plants.
However, too much sun is bad for many plants that have not matured.
If you are bringing a plant from the indoors to the outdoors, even that would require some adjusting before it can be fully exposed to the sun.
Try to slowly increase the exposure of the plant to the sun by alternating its time between the shade and the sunlight.
If you suddenly expose an immature plant to the sun, you will be putting it at the risk of getting scorched, burned, and dying.
If you believe that the sun is still too much for the plant, you can simply bring it indoors or put it in the shade.
Indoor Black Rose
For the lighting situation for an indoor Black Rose, you should put it near the largest window in your house.
The plant needs ample sunlight to grow, be healthy, and maintain its unique coloration.
If the plant does not get enough sunlight, its stems go through etiolation, which is the elongation of stems to find places with more sunlight.
This results in suboptimal growth of the plant, and the plant becomes more fragile as well.
The leaves of the plant, which are usually black-purple In color, also begin turning green if the plant is deprived of sunlight. Therefore, low sunlight may actually deprive the plant of its most unique feature.
If you are unable to provide enough sunlight to your plant when it is indoors, you could take it outside for a ‘walk’ every now and then, where it could soak up the sun and maintain its luster and natural beauty.
The other methods of caring for your indoor Black Rose succulent are the same.
Common Problems With The Black Rose
Like most other plants, there are some common problems that the Black Rose succulent faces. It is important to be able to recognize these problems, so you know how to treat them when the time arises. Here are some of the most common amongst them:
Green Leaves
As we know by now, the Black Rose succulent is known for its dark, fleshy leaves.
When these leaves begin turning green, the plant loses most of its vibrancy and uniqueness, and the plant’s parents become concerned about the situation.
The Black Rose succulent only turns green when it is not receiving enough sunlight.
If your plant is indoors or if you are trying to grow it in perpetual shade, you might notice it turning green. In this situation, you should simply place your plant in a sunnier area so it can grow normally.
Pests
One of the biggest menaces to a succulent like the Black Rose is pests. There are many pests that can attack the Black Rose succulent, including mealybugs, plant lice, and fire ants.
Mealybugs and Plant Lice are known for secreting a white substance that can be sticky and look unsightly on the otherwise gorgeous plant.
The accumulation of this substance on the plant can also encourage molding on the plant, making it lose its integrity, kill it, and look really bad.
The white substance that mealybugs and Plant Lice secrete attracts pests like fire ants and spider mites. These pests feed on the substance and also harm the plant, often killing it if the situation is not remedied soon.
The best way to get rid of pests is by noticing the attack as soon as possible and immediately getting rid of the pests.
While chemical insecticide is one of the options to rid the plant of pests, you should try to use it only when the situation is dire.
You can make a mixture of water, rubbing alcohol, and dish soap in the initial stages. Spray this mixture on the leaves of the plant or wherever you see the pests gathering.
Continue this practice every day till you see the pests disappearing. Alternatively, if the situation is even worse, you can even add vinegar to the mixture.
To remove the white substance left behind by some pests, you can use a hose to lightly spray the plant and make the white substance flow away from the leaves of the plant.
This spray of water can also remove the pests hiding under the substance as well and save your plant from further damage.
Long Stems
If the Black Rose succulent has unusually long stems and looks like it is growing poorly, you should probably give it more sunlight.
If the plant grows in excessive shade or indoors, the stems grow toward the sun and often become unusually long.
In this case, you should allow the plant to receive more sunlight and put it in a sunnier area of the house or keep it outdoors for a while.
Overwatering
Overwatering is one of the most common problems with most succulents, including the Black Rose succulent.
This occurs when the plant is given more water than it needs or if it is planted in regular soil that cannot drain quickly and efficiently.
Overwatering often causes other issues like root rot, molding, and an attack by fungus gnats.
To prevent overwatering, you should water your mature Black Rose succulent no more than once a week unless it is still in its growing stages.
You should also make sure that the soil you use for the plant is well-draining and does not accumulate excessive moisture.
Withering Leaves
When the Black Rose succulent is under stressful conditions, its leaves may start to wither and fall. Sometimes this is a sign of the plant going into dormancy.
However, the plant may also start to lose leaves when it is over or under-watered. In these situations, it is essential to find out what is causing this event and to ensure that it isn’t just dormancy.
If you are aware of these problems, it is easy to solve them whenever they arise.
Conclusion:
In summary, Black Rose Succulent grows best in bright, indirect light. This succulent needs well-draining soil. Water the plant once a week in its first year.
Then twice weekly in the third year, and monthly after that. Prior to watering, check the soil is dry on the surface.
Avoid water on the stem or leaves. Fertilize your Black Rose Succulent once a month in the second year and once every two months in the third year.
The Black Rose Succulent or Aeonium Zwartkop Arboreum is one of the most fascinating succulents you can find.
Its unique shape and color make it an excellent addition to your gardening, giving it a further splash of color.
The plant is also low-maintenance and fussing about it too much ultimately causes the plant’s demise. If you let the plant be and give it its usual requirements, the plant will thrive.