Origin:
Derived from a mutation of Aeonium ‘Madeira Rose’, also very widely distributed under the name Aeonium ‘Halloween’.
Known names:
‘Lin Lang’ (the most widely used name), ‘Linlang’, ‘Halloween Dark’, and 琳琅 (Línláng). Some Chinese sources also mention a form called “黑琳琅,” literally “Black Lin Lang.”
Creation / commercialization date:
Commercially available around 2022 (China).
Origin of Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’
Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’ is a shrubby variegated Aeonium belonging to the large family of mutations derived from Aeonium ‘Madeira Rose’, more commonly called ‘Halloween’ in the Asian trade.
Chinese growers regard it as a selection derived from the yellow forms of this lineage.
‘Lin Lang’ is distinguished mainly by its particularly warm coloring, which can combine green, yellow, orange, red, and sometimes very dark tones.
What does the name ‘Lin Lang’ mean?
The Chinese name 琳琅 (lín láng) has a particularly interesting meaning.
The term traditionally evokes beautiful gemstones or precious objects and appears in the expression 琳琅满目 (lín láng mǎn mù), used to describe an abundance of beautiful, varied, and pleasing things.
The choice of this name therefore makes perfect sense for an Aeonium valued precisely for the richness of its coloring.
Botanical description
Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’ is a shrubby variegated Aeonium whose general morphology remains fairly close to that of its parent, Aeonium ‘Madeira Rose’.
It develops rosettes composed of relatively broad, fleshy leaves whose coloring varies greatly with the season, light intensity, temperatures, and probably the level of water stress.
As with many variegated forms in this lineage, its true character becomes most apparent as light levels increase.
Relatively subtle coloring in winter
In midwinter, when light levels are low and growth is active, the foliage generally displays a green central band surrounded by pale yellow to cream side zones.
The distribution of this variegation may naturally vary from one leaf or rosette to another.
At this stage, Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’ may look relatively similar to several other mutations of Aeonium ‘Madeira Rose’.
Its characteristics become much more distinctive gradually, as light levels increase.
From yellow to orange, then red
As light levels increase, the side bands gradually begin to color.
The creamy yellow then develops increasingly intense orange tones. Under favorable coloring conditions, this orange can become especially vivid and is one of the main attractions of ‘Lin Lang’.
Under even stronger exposure, the colors can shift toward reddish orange to red, while the chlorophyll-bearing areas generally become darker.
This transformation can be dramatic and explains why photographs of the same cultivar taken at different times of year may appear to show different plants.
Why is it sometimes called ‘Halloween Dark’?
The name ‘Halloween Dark’ appears to refer to the dark tones the plant may develop when strongly colored.
With increasing light and the summer slowdown in growth, the green areas may darken considerably while the variegated zones accumulate orange or red pigments.
The resulting contrast is much darker than during winter growth.
Sometimes difficult to identify
Identifying Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’ can be difficult, especially in winter.
It belongs to a family that now includes many mutations, some of which may look very similar when they are not showing their strongest coloring.
Growth and offset production
Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’ has a slow to moderate growth rate.
Its ability to produce offsets appears average among variegated forms derived from Aeonium ‘Madeira Rose’.
As with other aeoniums, growth is mainly active while temperatures remain moderate. During intense summer heat, the plant may slow considerably and enter a period of semi-dormancy or dormancy.
A degree of sensitivity to consider
Early cultivation observations suggest that Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’ is more delicate than some particularly vigorous variegated aeoniums.
This sensitivity is regularly observed in several strongly variegated mutations of Aeonium ‘Madeira Rose’.
Particular care is recommended during summer.
When the plant slows its growth considerably in response to heat, its water requirements decrease. The combination of a persistently wet substrate, high temperatures, and reduced root activity is then unfavorable.
A bright, well-ventilated position protected from scorching sun during periods of intense heat is generally the most cautious choice for strongly variegated specimens.
A particularly colorful member of the ‘Halloween’ family
Aeonium ‘Lin Lang’ is valued above all for the intensity and warmth of its colors.
Relatively conventional during active winter growth, it gradually reveals its appeal as conditions become brighter: cream turns yellow, then orange, while some areas become red and the center of the leaf may darken.
This palette perfectly explains its Chinese name 琳琅, which evokes an abundance of beautiful and precious things.
WINTER PHOTOGRAPHS
SUMMER PHOTOGRAPHS
REVERSION OF LIN LANG
CONTINUE EXPLORING
