Aeonium ‘Phantom’

Origin:
Mutation of Aeonium ‘Ice Warrior‘ .

Known names:
‘Phantom’ (most commonly used name),魅影法师.

Date of creation / Creator:
Discovered in 2020 in China in the Shandong province.
Developed and subsequently stabilized by Xiaofei of the OniGarden nursery.

HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF AEONIUM PHANTOM

The story of Aeonium ‘Phantom’ begins in 2020 in a greenhouse located in the Chinese province of Shandong, a region in eastern China bordering the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Gulf.

This natural mutation was then noticed at a local nursery among Aeonium ‘Ice Warrior’ specimens . Its aesthetic potential was quickly identified, and the cultivar was subsequently acquired by Wang Xinyu in November 2020 before being passed on and developed by Xiaofei of the OniGarden nursery.

November 21, 2020 marks an important date in the history of this variety: it is precisely on this day that Xiaofei officially receives this new Aeonium and begins his work of selection.

For almost a year, until September 2021, the Aeonium ‘Phantom’ was deliberately kept discreetly in order to observe several essential criteria:

the stability of its variegation;
the preservation of its characteristics during multiplication;
the transmission of its characteristics to the offspring.

With this observation phase proving successful, the decision was then made to present this new variety to the public.

It was received by Xiaofei on November 21, 2020. Here are the first photos of ‘Phantom’!!!!

The origin of the name ‘Phantom’

Before its commercial launch, several names were proposed by the greenhouse team:

Saina;
Leona;
Hokage;
Frost;
Phantom.

Initially, the name Hokage seemed to be the favorite in the votes. However, Xiaofei immediately associated this name with the world of the Naruto manga , which ultimately didn’t seem to fit the identity of this plant.

While he was still thinking about the name during a meal with his colleagues, the idea of Phantom came naturally.

The choice is then made:

Aeonium ‘Phantom’ .

This name probably evokes the mysterious and almost unreal aspect of this mutation, with its foliage with luminous contrasts and its appearance different from its parent ‘Ice Warrior’ .

On November 22nd, the only ‘Phantom’ cutting was grafted.

On January 9, 2021, seeing that ‘Phantom’ had a nice new shoot, he decided to remove the central leaves to force it to produce more… gulp

On January 19, he noticed that the first buds showed no variegation at all! He therefore decided to remove the leaves from the center of the rosette once again.

Three days later, however, he noticed that variegation was indeed present in the new buds — he certainly has good eyes! (See photo below.)

Development as of February 14, 2021. The buds have grown remarkably quickly, and numerous new shoots can now be seen emerging.

February 28, 2021: Xiaofei removes the first lateral shoots and immediately grafts them.

You now know the propagation process: it continues in the same way, with each new shoot being cut once it reaches a suitable size and then immediately grafted.

Here are a few photos showing the development of ‘Phantom’ during the summer, in July and August:

Botanical Description

Aeonium ‘Phantom’ is a variegated cultivar (variegata) that originated as a mutation of Aeonium ‘Ice Warrior’.

It retains a leaf morphology very similar to that of its parent, making their genetic relationship clearly visible.

Its main distinguishing feature lies in the distinctive pattern of its variegation.

The center of the leaf displays an intense bright yellow coloration, surrounded by a darker area highlighted with reddish tones. This combination creates a particularly striking contrast within the rosette.

Like certain other Aeoniums with undulating foliage, such as ‘Venus’ or ‘Green Wave’, its leaves develop a natural “wave-like” effect that gives the rosette a sense of movement and further enhances its ornamental appeal.

An Impressive Cultivar with Spectacular Foliage

Aeonium ‘Phantom’ belongs to the larger-growing Aeoniums.

Under favorable growing conditions, its rosette can reach approximately 50 cm (20 in) in diameter, producing a particularly impressive specimen in any collection.

It generally develops a large, imposing rosette with an overall structure similar to that of its parent, ‘Ice Warrior’.

Its natural ability to produce lateral shoots or offsets is considered moderate, comparable to that observed in Aeonium ‘Voodoo’.

It is therefore not an Aeonium that multiplies particularly prolifically through natural branching, but rather a cultivar valued primarily for its remarkable appearance and distinctive character.