Origin:
Derived from the mutation of the Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras‘.
Common names:
‘Purple Glow‘ — the most widely used Western name —, ‘Purple Fairy‘, ‘Zixia‘, ‘Zixia Fairy‘, ‘Purple Cloud Fairy‘, ‘Purple Cloud‘, 紫霞 and 紫霞仙子. The names ‘Purple Light‘, ‘Purple Kasumi‘ and ‘Lavender Fairy‘ are also used, but they seem to be secondary translations or commercial adaptations.
Creation / commercialization date:
Began being sold around 2021 (China).
History & origin
The Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ belongs to the large family of variegated mutations derived from Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras‘. This American-origin cultivar, created by Renée O’Connell, has spawned a particularly large number of selected mutations that have been commercialized in Asia.
‘Purple Glow‘ seems to have been discovered or selected in China before being spread under several different translations. Its most likely Chinese name is 紫霞, pronounced Zǐxiá.
The character 紫 means ‘purple’ or ‘violet’, while 霞 evokes the colorful glows visible in the clouds at sunrise or sunset. The name can thus be interpreted as ‘purple glow’, ‘purple cloud’, or ‘violet sky radiance’.
Did you know? The Western name ‘Purple Glow‘ is probably a horticultural translation of 紫霞. It fairly well conveys the idea of a purple light gradually spreading through the foliage.
The expanded form 紫霞仙子, Zǐxiá Xiānzǐ, means ‘the Zixia fairy’. This explains the trade names ‘Zixia Fairy‘, ‘Purple Fairy‘, and ‘Purple Cloud Fairy‘.
The plant was already available in China around 2021.
Botanical Description
The Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ is a variegated shrubby Aeonium belonging to the lineage of Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras‘.
It develops fleshy stems that gradually become woody and branched. Each branch ends with a regular rosette made up of numerous slightly fleshy leaves.
Over time, the plant can form a small shrub composed of several terminal rosettes. Its shape remains similar to many cultivars derived from ‘Mardi Gras‘, with balanced growth and generally normal branching capacity.
The leaves are spatula-shaped to oblanceolate, wider at the top and gradually narrowing toward their attachment point. Their tips are generally rounded or slightly pointed.
The variegation is mainly organized in a longitudinal way. A central area richer in chlorophyll is framed by lighter lateral bands. Depending on the leaves and growing conditions, thin longitudinal streaks can also appear in the different colored zones.
A coloration that changes a lot over the seasons
The main feature of Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ lies in the seasonal evolution of its colors.
In winter or under moderate light, the foliage usually shows a central green to green-gray stripe, surrounded by pale yellow to cream side zones. At this stage, the plant can look like several other variegated mutations of Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras‘.
The more the brightness and temperatures rise, the more the side bands gradually start to color. The edges then develop pink, red, and then purplish-red shades, while the central area tends to become grayer, duller, or slightly purplish.
This grayish central coloring is one of the best ways to recognize ‘Purple Glow‘. In other mutations of ‘Mardi Gras‘, the central part often turns distinctly green, brown, or almost black. In ‘Purple Glow‘, it more often keeps a gray-green or gray-purple tint, which softens the whole rosette.
The transition between the different colors isn’t always perfectly clear. Some leaves have well-defined stripes, while others show a more blended mix of green, cream, gray, pink, and purple.
Many names for the same plant
Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ clearly illustrates the difficulties encountered with cultivars recently spread from China.
The name 紫霞 was transcribed as ‘Zixia‘, then translated in several ways. The form 紫霞仙子 gave rise to the names ‘Zixia Fairy‘, ‘Purple Fairy‘, and ‘Purple Cloud Fairy‘.
These names currently seem to refer to the same cultivar. However, it’s possible that some sellers apply them to very similar selections or to plants that are not properly identified.
The name ‘Purple Glow‘ is now the clearest for the Western market. Still, the Chinese names 紫霞 and 紫霞仙子 remain essential for tracing the plant’s origin and Asian distribution.
About ‘Purple Kasumi’
The name ‘Purple Kasumi⟧T2⟧’ combines the English word ‘Purple’ with the Japanese reading kasumi, which can convey the idea of mist or slight haziness.
This name seems to have been created from the Chinese character 霞. It should be considered a secondary commercial adaptation rather than the original Chinese name.
About ‘Lavender Fairy’
The name ‘Lavender Fairy‘ is sometimes associated with the characters 紫霞仙子. It could be a free translation of ‘Zixia Fairy‘.
In the absence of a well-documented comparison between the plants sold under these two names, it’s best to keep ‘Lavender Fairy‘ as a possible alias rather than as a definitively established synonym.
Growth & branching
The growth of Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ is generally considered normal for a variegated Aeonium from ‘Mardi Gras‘.
A well-rooted plant gradually develops several branches and can form a cluster of rosettes. It doesn’t seem to show the extreme slowness seen in some cultivars with very low chlorophyll.
Its ability to produce offsets and branches is average. No particularly compact or overly branched behavior seems to characterize this cultivar.
The importance of light
Light plays a key role in bringing out the colors of Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘.
Insufficient light leads to greener leaves, more open rosettes, and less contrasting colors. The grayish central stripe can then be hard to see.
Strong light gradually intensifies the pink, red, and purple shades. It also helps keep the rosettes more compact and better highlights the variegation pattern.
However, you need to distinguish between bright light and harsh direct sunlight. A plant grown under shelter or in partial shade should be gradually acclimated. Cream, yellow, or highly variegated areas are more sensitive to burns than green tissues.
Bright exposure with protection during the hottest hours is usually a good compromise, especially in regions where the sun is very strong in summer.
A plant with no particular known fragility
At this stage, Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ doesn’t seem to have any specific fragility compared to other variegated Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras‘ mutants.
Its growth is normal, its rooting through cuttings doesn’t seem particularly difficult, and its ability to branch remains satisfactory.
As with many relatively recent Asian cultivars, these observations may evolve over time, with the multiplication of different clones and feedback from growing them in various climates.
Risks of confusion
Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ can easily be confused with Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras‘ and several of its mutations.
In winter, the combination of a central green and cream side stripes is common to many cultivars in this family. In summer, the very intense red or purple coloring can also hide the specific variegation features.
The best time to compare these cultivars is usually in spring. ‘Purple Glow‘ then stands out for its gray-green or gray-purple central area, combined with side stripes that are cream gradually tinged with pink and red.
Flowering
The flowering of Aeonium ‘Purple Glow‘ is still not well documented.
Given its relationship with Aeonium ‘Mardi Gras‘, it should produce a terminal inflorescence bearing many small flowers, probably yellow. However, this feature will need to be confirmed by clearly identified photographic observations.
As with other Aeoniums, each rosette is monocarpic: the rosette that blooms withers after completing its cycle. The other branches of the plant can, however, continue to grow.
WINTER PHOTOS
SUMMER PHOTOS
Share:
CONTINUE EXPLORING
