Plant in full sun near the coast and partial shade inland. Water occasionally to infrequently. Hardy to 27 degrees F. This plant is great along the ocean and tolerates drought and is reportedly resistant to deer predation.

Aeonium arborescens is native to Gran Carnaria Island in the Canary Islands. This dark leafed cultivar received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1999. We also grow the cultivar Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop', which is a very dark selection of Aeonium arboreum. While we very much like 'Zwartkop' with its the tall arching stems and large heads of deep purple-black foliage, our form of Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum' is also a very nice plant with shorter stems and smaller heads of very dark reddish-purple foliage. It is also more vigorous and produces a fuller lower growing plant than 'Zwartkop'. For more information about the species and a listing of other selections and hybrids of it, see our listing of Aeonium arboreum. 

The information about Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.

Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.