Description
Sempervivum – Hens and Chicks – Lliveforever – Houseleek –
There are 40 dense, mat forming, evergreen succulent perennial in the Crassulaceae family, in this genus. They are found naturally occurring in the mountains Europe and Western Asia. They bear monocarpic rosettes of thick, pointed leaves, often with bristle fringed edges, and covered with web of white hairs. Flat, branching terminal, panicle like cymes of hermaphrodite star shaped, white, yellow, red, or purple flowers are borne upright stems in summer. The rosettes die after flowering, but are replaced by new, offset rosettes, borne in lateral runners. Numerous cultivars are available.. Grow in a rock garden, scree bed, wall crevice, or trough.
Grow in poor to moderately fertile, sharply drained soil, with added grit, in full sun. Some, particularly softly hairy species, resent winter moisture.
Prone to Endophyllum rust.
S. tectorum ‘Atropurpurpeum’ – Hens and Chickens – Roof Houseleek – Common Houseleek – This mat forming succulent from the Mountains of Southern Europe grows 4-6″ tall and 18-20″ wide. It produces open rosettes, to 4″ across, of thick, egg to narrowly oblong shaped, bristle tipped, dark violet leaves, to 1 ½” long, often suffused red purple at the tips. In summer, bears one sided cymes, up to 4″ across, of purple to rosy-red flowers on upright, hairy stems.
Zones 4-8
