Origin
According to the Chinese horticultural sources found, this Chinese mutation derives directly from Aeonium ‘Blushing Beauty’, known in China as 韶羞 (Sháoxiū). It was long sold in the West as ‘Pink Witch Yellow Middle’, leading to claims that it came from ‘Pink Witch’. That intermediate lineage is unconfirmed. A Chinese source dated 8 December 2023 identifies it as 韶羞中斑锦, the middle-variegated form of Shaoxiu. ‘Pink Witch’ and ‘Shaohua’ are therefore better regarded as parallel mutations of ‘Blushing Beauty’.
Known names
‘Shaohua’ — recommended main name —, 韶华 (Sháohuá), ‘Pink Witch Yellow Middle’, ‘Pink Witch Middle Yellow Form’, ‘Glorious Youth’, ‘Younger’ and 冰美人 (Bīng Měirén, “Ice Beauty”). The spelling 绍华 also occurs but appears to be a variant or incorrect transcription.
Creation date / Creator
Creator, nursery and exact date of appearance unknown. The cultivar was circulating in China by 2022 at the latest and is regarded as one of the early Aeoniums that helped popularise broad middle variegation there.
Botanical description
Aeonium ‘Shaohua’ is a shrub-form middle-variegated cultivar and one of the most distinctive forms of its kind. Its colour combination is unusual and its variegation notably stable.
A unique colour combination
In winter, the leaves show a broad pale-yellow to golden-yellow central band, two well-defined green lateral bands and a tip commonly coloured red, burgundy, copper or rust. The strong green-and-yellow contrast remains visible in the rosette centre.
Progressive seasonal evolution
As light, temperatures and water stress increase, older green areas turn burgundy, copper-brown and sometimes mahogany. The younger leaves remain brighter, preserving the yellow-and-green identity throughout the year.
Cultivation and behaviour
Growth is active, offset production is excellent and vigour is high. No particular weakness has been observed. It tolerates bright conditions and summer warmth relatively well in a very free-draining substrate with good airflow, but remains frost-sensitive.
A distinctive middle-variegated mutation
Its permanent bright-yellow centre, deep-green lateral tissue and seasonal copper tones make ‘Shaohua’ one of the most recognisable middle-variegated cultivars currently available.
WINTER PHOTOS
SUMMER PHOTOS
Pink Witch Yellow Middle Mutation
This photograph illustrates the relationship between ‘Pink Witch Yellow Middle’ and ‘Flaming Mountain’, a mutation derived from it.
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