Expert: Trey Tarrant - 1/5/2009

Question
I have some type of aeonium succulent - I have google searched images but two different types of leaf type seem to show up for aeonium undulatum (saucer plant) so it seems there is confusion out there over the plant? Which means I'm not sure what my plant name is (as my plant doesn't have tight leaves with wavy edges like in some of the pictures). My succulent plant was green when I bought it but now that it's taller it is now more blackish - but totally healthy & pest-free (sorry I can't provide a picture). If you know which plant I mean, is there any way of stopping it from turning black as I much prefer it when it is green. Or is it a seasonal change that I can't do anything about? (We are currently in summer here in Australia & the plant is in full sun).
(I was wondering if I could add anything to the soil, something along the lines of hydrangeas when putting steel wool in the ground to encourage blue flowers instead of pink)?
Thanks for your help
Louise

Answer
Probably the differences you see in the picture are different varieties of the species.  It is also not uncommon for web resources to contain erroneously labeled plants.  I would go with what seems to be the consensus.

I know that there are black varieties of aeonium, but if yours was green and turned black, I'm not sure I can explain that.  Many non-green plants will turn greener when grown in shade, so my only guess is that yours was grown in the shade and then turned black when you put it in the sun.  Try putting it in some shade and see what it does.

Tell me if that works,

Trey