Among the countless Aeoniums cultivated around the world, some have achieved genuine international recognition and become staples of succulent collections. Aeonium ‘Velour‘ is one such cultivar, now found among both passionate collectors and many beginners.
Together with Aeonium ‘Zwartkop‘, it is often one of the first cultivars through which the wider public discovers the fascinating world of Aeoniums. Its popularity is easy to understand: it is robust, vigorous, easy to grow and particularly generous in its production of offsets.
Behind this apparent simplicity lies exceptional genetics. Created by the renowned American hybridizer Jack Catlin, Aeonium ‘Velour‘ has become a major parent in the history of Aeonium breeding over the decades.
This profile focuses especially on its variegated forms, which arose as natural mutations of this iconic cultivar.
Aeonium ‘Velour‘: a major Jack Catlin creation
Before exploring its variegated mutations, it is important to revisit the origin of this now-essential hybrid.
Origin
Aeonium ‘Velour‘ resulted from the following cross:
Aeonium canariense var. canariense × Aeonium ‘Zwartkop‘
It belongs to a group of cultivars created by Jack Catlin using the famous Aeonium ‘Zwartkop‘. It is notably a sibling of two other renowned hybrids:
- Aeonium ‘Blushing Beauty‘
- Aeonium ‘Plum Purdy‘
These three cultivars share the same genetic origin but each expresses different characteristics.
Creation date and breeder
Year of creation: 1976
Breeder: Jack Catlin (United States)
John William “Jack” Catlin is one of the major figures in the history of succulent hybridization. His creations profoundly influenced the world of Aeoniums, and several of his cultivars are still regarded as benchmarks today.
Known names
- ‘Velour‘: the original name given by Jack Catlin.
- ‘Purple Cashmere‘
- ‘European Purple Cashmere‘
The latter two names are mainly used in some Asian markets, particularly China, but the recognized horticultural name remains Aeonium ‘Velour‘.
Characteristics of Aeonium ‘Velour‘
Unlike its parent ‘Zwartkop‘, which may sometimes lose its lower leaves and develop a barer habit, ‘Velour‘ has much more balanced growth.
It forms a branching shrub bearing numerous large rosettes that can reach an impressive size.
Its foliage changes considerably with the seasons:
- in winter or under reduced light, the leaves remain predominantly green;
- as sunlight and temperatures increase, they gradually develop purple tones and then become almost black.
This ability to change color according to growing conditions is one reason for its popularity among collectors.
Its exceptional vigor also enables it to produce numerous offsets readily, which explains its widespread presence in private collections.
Variegated Aeonium ‘Velour‘: particularly sought-after mutations
Given its vigor and ability to branch, one might expect numerous variegated mutations of ‘Velour‘. In reality, they remain relatively few compared with those derived from ‘Mardi Gras‘, for example.
Some variegated forms of ‘Velour‘ are now considered genuine best sellers in the world of collectible Aeoniums.
The different variegated mutations of Aeonium ‘Velour‘
This section lists the known mutations derived from Aeonium ‘Velour‘.
The list is intended to evolve regularly as new mutations continue to appear in private collections and among specialist growers.
Known names: Aeonium ‘Eden‘ (the most widely used name), ‘Chixiafei‘, ‘Chi Xia Fei‘, 赤霞飞, 赤霞飛, ‘Flame Rose‘ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon‘. The translations ‘Flying Red Clouds‘ and ‘Red Clouds Flying‘ are interpretations of the Chinese name.
Creation / commercialization date: 2017 (China)
More information in the dedicated English profile.
EDEN MIDDLE
Other known name: ‘Chixiafei Middle‘.
MONA LISA
Mutation of ‘Chixiafei‘ (‘Eden‘).
It is very close to ‘Eden‘ and may be the same Aeonium.
More information in the dedicated profile.
JELLYFISH
Mutation of ‘Eden‘.
MARDI GRAS
Known name: ‘Red Brocade‘.
Created in 2007 in California by Renée O’Connell (United States).
It is the origin of most present-day variegated Aeoniums.
Because so many variegated cultivars derive from ‘Mardi Gras‘, a dedicated English article presents this lineage.
MEDUSA
Other known name: 美杜莎.
Created in 2016 in the Netherlands.
More information in the dedicated English profile.
CANARY
Known names: Aeonium ‘Canary‘, 金丝雀, 金丝雀法师, 金丝雀锦 and 金丝雀锦法师 — Jīnsīquè, “canary”. The names ‘Canary Variegata‘ and ‘Canary Variegated‘ are simply trade-name variants.
Mutation of ‘Medusa‘.
Creation: 2021 (China).
More information in the dedicated English profile.
CROWN
It is believed to be a mutation of ‘Medusa‘.
Other known names: ‘Medusa Yellow‘, ‘Velour Yellow‘.
Creation: 2022.
GREEN MEDUSA
Known names: Aeonium ‘Green Medusa‘ (the most widely used name), ‘Green Bean Paste‘, ‘Mung Bean Paste‘, ‘Green Bean‘, 绿豆沙 — Lǜ Dòushā. The name ‘White Medusa‘ is sometimes used commercially, particularly in Turkey, but should be treated with caution.
Creation / commercialization date: 2021 (China).
More information in the dedicated English profile.
CINDERELLA
Known names: Aeonium ‘Cinderella‘, Aeonium ‘Cinderella Variegata‘, 灰姑娘 — Huī Gūniáng, “Cinderella”.
Commercialization: 2024 (China).
Probable mutation of ‘Green Medusa‘.
Known names: ‘Kilimanjaro‘ — the preferred international spelling —, ‘Kilimandjaro‘, ‘Huana‘, ‘Hua Na‘, ‘Medusa Middle‘, 花纳锦 (Huānà Jǐn) and 华纳锦.
Commercialization: 2020 (China).
Mutation, or partial reversion, of ‘Medusa‘.
More information in the dedicated English profile.
MEDUSA BLACK
Very close to ‘Medusa‘, but slightly darker, as its name suggests.
PINK MEDUSA
Known names: ‘Pink Medusa‘ / 粉体美杜莎.
Creation date: 2025.
Known names: ‘Wedding Dress‘ — the most widely used name —, ‘Wedding Dress Variegated‘, ‘White Wedding Dress‘, ‘Ballet‘, 婚纱, 法师婚纱 and 婚纱法师.
Creation / commercialization date: 2022 (China).
Mutation of ‘Medusa‘.
More information in the dedicated English profile.
AURORA
Mutation of ‘Wedding Dress‘.
Introduced in 2023.
More information in the dedicated English profile.
Known names: Aeonium ‘Superbang‘ (the most widely used name), Aeonium ‘Super Bang‘, ‘Ou Jiali‘, ‘Oujiali‘, 欧佳丽, 欧嘉莉. The spellings ‘O’carrie‘ and ‘Ogary‘ are secondary phonetic adaptations.
Creation / commercialization: 2018 (China).
More information in the dedicated English profile.
VELOUR BIGBANG
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