Sempervivums

These fleshy, herbaceous perennial plants hail mainly from mountainous regions of the world. They are rosette in their growth habit and this formal, neat appearance has endeared them to gardeners for centuries. These old fashioned favorites have even been historically grown on rooftops of houses in Europe leading to one of the common names, Houseleek. The other common name, Hen and chickens refers to the parent rosette sending out additional rosettes around its circumference mimicking the appearance of a hen and her chicks.

Sempervivums are cultivated for their foliage rather than their flowers. The leaves are short, thick, succulent and evergreen. Some varieties have interesting webbing, which is produced on the leaves giving the appearance of a cobweb effect. The flowers occur in panicled cymes and are mostly yellow to greenish yellow. Rose, purple and white variations can also occur. After flowering, that individual rosette dies, but with the prolific production of offshoots, there are plenty of replacements to quickly fill the void.

Easy garden culture is one of their most defining characteristics. Poor soil, drought conditions and winter's cold cause no problems. Excellent drainage especially during the cold months is their most important cultural requirement.