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Aeonium decorum 'Berry Nice' (Red Striped Pinwheel) - An evergreen, multi-branching succulent that forms a 1-foot-tall mound of 3-4 inch wide rosettes clustered on thick branches. The leaves are pale green with maroon coloration on a central band and along the leaf margins. When planted in bright light the older leaves also blush a nice orange tone. In late spring the inflorescence rises above the foliage and lies over diagonally, bearing soft pink flowers.
Prefers a sunny area in well-drained soil. Water occasionally to very little in coastal gardens. Is cold hardy to around 30° F or a bit lower for short durations. Aeoniums give an "other-world" effect, especially when planted in groups and this one adds some pizazz with its interesting colored foliage.
Aeonium decorum is widespread on the island of Gomera in the Canary islands where it can be found from sea level to over 2,500 feet. The name Aeonium comes for Greek word 'aionion' or 'aionios' meaning immortal or everlasting for its succulent nature and presumed longevity and the specific epithet is from the Latin word 'decorus' meaning "graceful" or "noble".
We got this selection as an unnamed selection of Aeonium decorum from the Huntington Botanical Gardens and when asked about it, succulent collection curator John Trager told us that the plant came to them from the 2007 Orchid Festival where he found it being used in a floral display created by florists Bob and Stella Berry. The Berry's have long had a connection to the Huntington and John felt a fitting tribute to both them and the plant would be to name it 'Berry Nice' - we agree! This form is lower growing with larger rosettes of leaves that are a lighter green color with red highlights compared to the entirely green form we grow of Aeonium decorum . We have grown this nice plant since 2014.
The information displayed on this page about Aeonium decorum 'Berry Nice' is based on the research we conducted about it in our nursery horticultural library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include some of our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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