Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’)

Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’) is a plant of succulent leaves that can grow 50cm – 1.5m tall and 50cm – 1.5m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’).
This plant is commonly known as dark purple houseleek tree.
This is a evergreen plant that takes 5-10 years to reach full maturity.
In this article
Plant profile
Common name: dark purple houseleek tree
Scientific name: Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’
Plant type: Cactus / Succulent, Conservatory & Greenhouse, Houseplants
Habit: Bushy
Height: 50cm – 1.5m
Spread: 50cm – 1.5m
Foliage: Evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Mediterranean Garden, Patio & Container Garden
Seasonal colors
Season | Stem | Foliage | Flower | Fruit |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spring | ||||
Summer | ||||
Autumn | ||||
Winter |

How to plant Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’) – Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cacti and succulent plants are appreciated for their natural charm, mainly for their leaf shapes, but also in some cases for their colorful flowers in spring and summer.
They should be cultivated in areas that mimic the conditions in which they grow in nature, which are usually exposed places with stony and fast-draining soils.
These characteristics make them to be grown in pots.
How to plant
In this section we will learn how to plant Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.
Soil
Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’) is a plant that prefers to grow in loam or sand.
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The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.
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Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.
It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.
Regarding drainage, Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’ likes to grow in well drained soil.
Sunlight
Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’) should be grown in full sun places.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Dark purple houseleek tree (Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’) – H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons