What Is a Rose Succulent

The rose succulent, or mountain rose, is a rarity, even in a fascinating world of succulents. This beauty comes from the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago near Africa. Rose succulent looks almost exactly like a rose, and that’s why the sudden fascination.

In this article, we will reveal all secrets that rose succulents might hide. You will learn what rose succulent is, how to care for it and what you must never do with it. So, stay tuned, and learn everything there is to know about this beautiful plant.

Benefits of Rose Succulents

Succulents are at the peak of popularity, as they are beautiful, low maintenance, and fun to grow. And people like interesting shapes, so we have succulents that look like dolphins, bunnies, and roses. Another reason why people enjoy having rose succulents around is their symmetry. Our brain is built in a way that recognizes symmetry as something calming. That’s why also some of the best artificial succulents have perfectly symmetric measures.

Combined with the usual calming effect that all plants have on us, and you get a quiet, relaxing environment just by planting a few rose succulents in the corners of your home. Not to mention the influence the rose succulents have in producing oxygen and making our air cleaner.

How Do Rose Succulents Work

There are quite many succulents that vaguely represent the rose petals, especially those from the Aeonium family. But, when people say rose succulent, they mainly refer to Greenovia dodrantalis, also known as Aeonium dodrantale. This lovely succulent comes from the Greenovias genus. However, the Greenovia genus has been absorbed into the Aeonium genus, which includes around 35 different succulents. So,  we understand the confusion people get into when trying to find their specimen online. So, Aeonium, Greenovia, and mountain rose are magic words in your quest for the rose succulent.

Pros and Cons of Rose Succulents

Pros

  • As every succulent, rose succulent is so easy to take care of. It will require a tiny percentage of your time to grow this beautiful plant properly. All you need is good soil, proper location, and a few of our advice and tricks from the sleeve. And in no time, you will be rewarded with a beautiful bouquet of small, rose-like succulents.
  • Furthermore, as these lovely succulents are rare, you can even start your small gardening business. Yes, you can sell them to people hungry for low-maintenance and beautiful houseplants.

Cons

  • Unlike trailing succulent plants in wildly different shapes, the rose succulent comes in one form, and that’s the shape of the rose. Well, it’s not actually the wrong side, but we couldn’t find any downside of the rose succulent, to be honest. Except for the part that it might be monocarpic, but there are no 100% proven facts. You see, sometimes your rose succulent will die after the blooming, and sometimes it won’t. So, it’s crucial to plant a new plant now and then. This way, even if your succulent dies after blooming, you will have its offsprings to continue the bloodline.

Factors to Consider When Taking Care of Rose Succulents 

Factors to Consider When Taking Care of Rose Succulents

Location

As rose succulents come from the sunny Canary Islands, they are not a big fan of low temperatures. So, your rose succulent will need a location with full sun to part shade. The best place you can put your rose succulent is near a big window so that you can control the amount of sunlight. If you plan to grow your succulents outdoor, make sure they are on the sunny side of your home.

Temperature

Rose succulents are fans of the Mediterranian climate. But, they will prosper in the winter and spring, when temperatures are 65F to 75F. If the temperature is too high, you will notice the curling of the leaves. Rose succulents do that to prevent water loss. 

Type of Soil

As rose succulents need a bit more moisture than the other succulents, you will need a bit different soil type. The potting mix with extra perlite added is the best for indoor pots. If you are growing outdoor garden beds, you will need to improve the soil porosity by adding some pumice. 

Type of Container

Whether you choose a standard pot or a glass container, you can’t get wrong. Your succulent container has to have a drainage hole to prevent excessive moisture. And, of course, as your succulent gets more extensive, you will need to re-pot it to a proper-sized container.

Pest-Protection

Pests will not bother your rose succulent, in most cases, whether they are indoors or outdoor. However, you should inspect your plant now and then, especially at the closing of the season. Insects can hide between the petals and infiltrate your home, and that’s something we all want to avoid. 

Fertilizer

Rose succulents don’t need any fertilizer when they are dormant. Otherwise, a half-strength liquid fertilizer will do them good. You should fertilize your rose succulents once every month after the dormant period ends. 

Repotting

As rose succulents are not that hard to maintain, they will need repotting every 2 to three years. However, you will need to repot any succulent that is freshly bought immediately. The soil in the succulent stores is not adequate for proper succulent growth. By choosing the right time to repot your succulent, you will ensure their proper growth.

How to Grow and Water Rose Succulents 

How to Grow and Water Rose Succulents

Step 1 – Use slightly more water

Although growing the succulents from seed is affordable, it might take a while. It’s better to buy a smaller plant or find a colleague gardener willing to give you one rose succulent pup.

Unlike other succulents, rose succulents prefer a bit more water. This is one reason why this plant is great for new gardeners, as the soil can stay wet for a longer time.

Step 2 – Wet thoroughly

As soon as the soil is dry, you should thoroughly wet it. This goes for both indoor and outdoor rose succulent. In the summer, you should water your rose succulent every few days. When winter comes, your rose succulent will need watering once every week.

Step 3 – Add perlite or pumice to maximize the drainage

All succulents need a fast-draining porous soil, and rose succulent is no exception there. Any excess water in the soil and you will be risking root rot. A standard potting mix is a great choice, but add a bit of perlite or pumice to maximize the drainage.

 

How to Care for Rose Succulents 

Rose succulents are tiny little plants. Therefore, they require special care.

Step 1 – Keep in a moderately warm location

Rose succulents should always be kept in a lit and moderately warm location. Remember, they come from sunny islands, just northwest of Africa.

Step 2 – Ensure low humidity and rainfall

If your rose succulents are planted outdoor, low humidity and low rainfall are a must. In the USA, southern California is the perfect place to grow rose succulents outdoors. 

Step 3 – Choose a sunny location

If you bring your indoor rose succulent outdoor, choose a sunny location, like a patio, porch, or balcony. However, you should gradually adjust your plant to outdoor conditions. Otherwise, it might come as a shock to the plant.

Step 4 – Repot every 2-3 years

Repot your rose succulent every two to three years. As rose succulents like to grow in crowds, you should share pups as much as you can. These succulents are rare and popular. So, you can trade rose succulent pups for some of the world’s best rare succulents with your fellow gardeners.

 

Does More Spending Mean More Quality

Rose succulents are not too expensive. Neither succulent is. Averagely, rose succulent costs cca $13, depending on the type, state, and size. However, you need to consider some things.

First, as rose succulent became extremely popular, the market became overcrowded with scammers. Meaning, people will try to sell you fake seeds and plastic succulents instead of the right ones. Some scammers even copy vividly colored flowering succulents by spraying some succulents with colors. When shopping rose succulents online, always look at the buyer’s reviews and only shop from respectable sources. 

Do’s and Don’ts With Rose Succulents 

Do’s

Don’ts

  • Never overestimate the persistence of your rose succulent. They are hard to kill, but not impossible.
  • Don’t expose your rose succulent to direct summer sunlight too much. 
  • Do not panic in the summer. Your rose succulent is not dead; it just entered the summer dormancy.

FAQ About Rose Succulents

FAQ About Rose Succulents

How do you propagate rose succulents?

Rose succulents are easily propagated by simple cutting. That’s great as these green beauties are in high demand. So, your friends and family will be thrilled if you bring them one small succulent as a gift. To propagate the rose succulent, cut off the rosette and place the cutting in a fresh batch of soil. The best timing to propagate the rose succulents is just after the summer dormancy. Don’t forget that making balanced succulent soil by yourself is an easy and cost-effective way to repot your succulents. 

How do you get a pink rose succulent?

Pink rose succulents is a holy grail among the succulent family. They are rare, and they are wanted. So, pink rose succulents are not easy to obtain. Pink succulents change colors depending on the light, and they often look surreal, so people think it’s a Photoshopped image. Pink rose succulent is hard to grow and even harder to buy. Of course, you can always go to El Hierro island, where pink rose succulent originates from, and try your luck there. Unfortunately, their beauty is their curse, and pink rose succulents are endangered by over-plucking.  So we should all do what’s possible to preserve this fascinating plant.

Where can I buy rose succulents?

Arm yourself with a bit of patience, as rose succulents can be rare. And as the demand for succulents is high, rose succulents cannot be found anymore. But, you can always check if any of the local succulent aficionados have one for sale. Or, start your internet search, but beware and buy only from reputable sellers.

Conclusion

Rose succulents look like fairy tale plants. It’s not hard to imagine Tinker Bell flying from the petals, sprinkling magic dust around your home. And rose succulents truly are magic. Their unique appearance will insert a dash of nature and extravagance in any home, garden, or office. So, you should treat yourself to this small but stunningly beautiful succulent and emphasize the beauty of your home. 

Photos from: MillaFedotova / depositphotos.com, chetgal / depositphotos.com, FotoMirta / depositphotos.com and Olga_Prava / depositphotos.com.