Origin:
Resulting from the probable mutation of the Aeonium ‘Athena’, itself comes from the Aeonium ‘Blushing Beauty’.

Known names:
‘‘Princess’ (most common international name), 香妃, ‘Xiangfei’, ‘Xiang Fei’, ‘Perfume Concubine’, ‘Fragrant Concubine’, ‘Fragrant Imperial Concubine’, ‘Perfume’. ‘Pasha’

Creation date / Creator:
2021. First trace found under the name 香妃法师锦 on October 30, 2021 in China; international distribution certified in 2022.

Important note on its origin

The Aeonium ‘Princess’ is often misrepresented as a direct mutation of Aeonium ‘Pink Witch’. This information, widely repeated in exchanges between collectors, however seems erroneous.

Based on currently available information, ‘Princess’ would actually come from a mutation of Aeonium ‘Athena’, itself a descendant of Aeonium ‘Blushing Beauty’.

This confusion probably comes from the fact that certain Aeonium circulating under the name ‘Princess’ or ‘Perfume Concubine’ are actually derived from ‘Pink Witch’. There are therefore today several lines with similar names, which can lead to identification errors.

Botanical description

The Aeonium ‘Princess’ is a shrubby Aeonium variegata resulting from the Aeonium mutation ‘Athena’.

It retains several characteristics inherited from its ancestry ‘Athena’ and ‘Blushing Beauty’, notably a spectacular evolving coloring and a foliage texture close to certain cultivars with slightly velvety leaves.

In winter, when the light is lower, its foliage generally presents:

a more or less wide green central strip;
creamy yellow lateral areas;
a leaf border that can quickly turn pink under the effect of light.

The proportion of green can vary greatly depending on the subject. In some specimens, the central green band remains thin, while in others it can occupy a significant part of the leaf. This characteristic constitutes a distinctive element inherited from its parent ‘Athena’.

Spectacular and evolving coloring

One of the great features of the Aeonium ‘Princess’ is its ability to strongly modify its appearance throughout the seasons.

With increasing light intensity and temperatures, the creamy yellow areas gradually evolve towards warmer shades:

pastel pink;
deep pink;
orange;
sometimes intense red during favorable light conditions.

At the same time, the central green part tends to visually diminish, until it only forms a thin line in the center of the leaf.

This chromatic evolution offers a wide palette of colors and makes ‘Princess’ one of the most visually remarkable Aeonium variegata. Its foliage can thus present very different contrasts depending on the season, exposure and growing conditions.

Albino rosettes: a remarkable but… deadly feature

Another interesting feature of the Aeonium ‘Princess’ is its tendency to regularly produce rosettes with a very low amount, or even a complete absence, of chlorophyll.

These albino rosettes then have very light foliage, often creamy white, which can quickly take on pink shades under the effect of the sun.

Although particularly aesthetic, these parts completely devoid of chlorophyll remain more fragile because they have fewer resources to ensure their growth. They can sometimes evolve favorably by gradually regaining more pigmentation, but their survival is generally more uncertain than that of normally variegated rosettes.

Culture and behavior

The Aeonium ‘Princess’ is a relatively vigorous cultivar despite its delicate appearance.

Its main horticultural characteristics:

Growth: average;
Ability to reject: good;
General force: average;
Fragility: high due to the loss of chlorophyll observed over time.

The main vigilance concerns rosettes very devoid of chlorophyll, more sensitive to excess sun, periods of stress and unfavorable conditions.

Like all Aeoniums, it remains sensitive to frost and prolonged negative temperatures.

An Aeonium with many faces

The Aeonium ‘Princess’ is one of those cultivars which perfectly illustrate the richness of modern mutations of Aeoniums variegata.

Its interest is based on several elements:

genetics from a prestigious lineage (Blushing Beauty → Athena → Princess) ;
exceptional evolving coloring;
an ability to produce very decorative albino rosettes;
a palette ranging from cream to pink, to red and orange.

A true “botanical jewel”, ‘Princess’ lives up to its name particularly well by offering a permanent transformation of its foliage to the rhythm of the seasons.