Sempervivum is a genus of about 40 species of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, commonly known as houseleeks. Other common names include liveforever and hen and chicks, a name shared with plants of other genera as well. It is a mat-forming succulent that produce rosettes of juicy leaves. These leaves are often covered by white hair. The large parent rosette is the “hen,” while the offshoots are the “chicks.”
The name Sempervivum has its origin in the Latin semper (“always”) and vivus (“living”), because this perennial plant keeps its leaves in winter and is very resistant to difficult conditions of growth. The common name “houseleek” comes from the Anglo Saxon word “leac”, meaning plant, since these are literally plants that grow on houses. They were believed to ward off fire and lightning strikes. Some Welsh people still hold the old folk belief that having it grow on the roof of the house ensures the health and prosperity of those who live there.
Sempervivum are very low-maintenance plants that require almost no attention. They can be left outdoors to spread of their own accord in a rock garden or sandy area, and they can even be grown on a roof or chimney side. Sempervivums are monocarpic: they die after flowering. However, the offsets they produce usually make up for the losses and fill the gaps left by the dead rosettes.
Whether you grow them as houseplants or outdoors, all hens and chicks are low-growing succulents, with thick, fleshy leaves arranged in rosettes. Sometimes those leaves are shades of green, but often, as with houseleeks, the leaves may be tinged with blue or deep red. These leaf tints deepen according to the amount of light the plant receives.
Hens and chicks that have been grown indoors are sometimes identifiable as such because they don’t get enough light to give them their signature colors. Common Varieties of sampervivum plants include:
- Sempervivum giuseppii
- Sempervivum tectorum
- Sempervivum arachnoideum
- Sempervivum calcareum
- Sempervivum ‘Black’
- Sempervivum ‘Carmen’
- Sempervivum ‘Commander Hay’
- Sempervivum ‘Hart 8’
- Sempervivum ‘Kalinda’
- Sempervivum ‘Ohio Burgundy’
- Sempervivum ‘Pacific Blue Ice’
- Sempervivum Chick ‘Peggy’
- Sempervivum ‘Red Beauty’
- Sempervivum ‘Red Rubin’
- Sempervivum ‘Rocknoll Rosette’
- Sempervivum ‘Ruby Heart’
- Sempervivum stansfieldii
- Sempervivum montanum
- Sempervivum montana
- Sempervivum pumilum
- Sempervivum ‘glowing embers’
- Sempervivum ‘magnificum’
- Sempervivum ‘Mystic’
- Sempervivum ‘Faramir’
Sempervivum giuseppii
Sempervivum giuseppii is a mat forming, evergreen, perennial succulent with pea-green leaves that form a carpet of foliage by producing offset rosettes. The succulent leaves are hairy when young and as they age the tips begin to develop small dark coloured spots. Small clusters of red flowers are borne on this plant in summer.
Sempervivum ‘Black lotus’
Sempervivum ‘Black Lotus’ has compact rosettes, formed by flat and elongated leaves, which end with a tip, of a beautiful bright green color at the base, that fades towards dark purple (hence its name), with the edges outlined in creamy white.
Due to its beautiful color contrast and its resistance to low temperatures, Sempervivum ‘Black Lotus’ is an ideal plant to add a touch of liveliness to your gardens and balconies. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, white flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Carmen’
Sempervivum ‘Carmen’ is a mat-forming succulent with thick, fleshy, emerald green leaves adorned with bright red tips. In winter, the rosette turns a charming violet-purple. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, pinkish white flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Commander Hay’
Sempervivum ‘Commander Hay’ has fleshy, purplish-red leaves adorned with pointed, bright green tips. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, greenish-red flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Hart 8’
Sempervivum ‘Hart 8’ has fleshy, apple-green leaves adorned with orange-red tips. The color varies by season, intensifying in summer. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, light pink flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Kalinda’
Sempervivum ‘Kalinda’ has fleshy, apple green leaves, flushed blood-red at their base. This color varies by season, intensifying in cooler temperatures for a showy fall or winter display. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, pink flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Ohio Burgundy’
Sempervivum ‘Ohio Burgundy’ consist of fleshy, deep burgundy leaves adorned with a dusting of fine hair. The color varies by season, green in summer but intensifying in cooler temperatures for a showy fall or winter display. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, light pink flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Pacific Blue Ice’
Sempervivum ‘Pacific Blue Ice’ is made up of fleshy, silvery blue pointed leaves flushed rosy-pink to burgundy in cooler weather. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, pink flowers.
Sempervivum Chick ‘Peggy’
Sempervivum Chick ‘Peggy’ is a mat-forming succulent perennial forming attractive, evergreen rosettes that change through many colors over the seasons. In spring, the leaves are purple and transition to deep red in summer. Fall and winter colors are more subdued, ranging from mahogany to brown.. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, pink flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Red Beauty’
Sempervivum ‘Red Beauty’ consists of fleshy, grey-green leaves adorned with blood-red tips. The color may vary from season to season. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, pink flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Red Rubin’
Sempervivum ‘Red Rubin’ is made up of fleshy, emerald green leaves adorned with burgundy-red tips. This color varies by season, intensifying in cooler temperatures for a showy fall or winter display. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, light pink flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Rocknoll Rosette’
Sempervivum ‘Rocknoll Rosette’ as with other sempervivum has fleshy, glowing wine-red leaves, flushed apple green at their base. This color varies by season, intensifying in cooler temperatures for a showy fall or winter display. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, pink flowers.
Sempervivum ‘Ruby Heart’
Sempervivum ‘Ruby Heart’ is a mat-forming succulent perennial forming attractive, evergreen rosettes of fleshy, sharply pointed, silvery blue to blue-green leaves, flushed ruby-red at their base. This color varies by season, intensifying in cooler temperatures for a showy fall or winter display. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, pinkish purple flowers.
Sempervivum calcareum
The Sempervivum calcareum is a a variety of sempervivum perfect for outdoors and vertical gardens. It forms dense rosettes with thick, stiff leaves and thorny margins. The leaves are green, shading red at the tips, which may be brighter and more defined depending on the climate.
Sempervivum arachnoideum
Sempervivum arachnoideum has fleshy green leaves adorned with cobwebby white hairs at their tips. In summer, a thick flowering stalk arises from the center of the hen rosette and bears showy starry, rose-pink flowers.
Sempervivum tectorum
Sempervivum tectorum (Common Houseleek) has evergreen rosettes, packed with fleshy, pointed, blue-green leaves, adorned with reddish-purple tips. In summer, an upright flowering stalk arises from the center of the rosette and bears showy starry, purplish flowers.
Sempervivum pumilum
The Sempervivum pumilum has elongated, downy green leaves that take on reddish colors, based on the climate. The flowers bloom from long, thin stems and take on colors, ranging from pink to purple.
Sempervivum Jubilee
Sempervivum jubilee is a beautiful succulent plant, particularly appreciated for its magnificent variety of colors and the ability to drastically change shades according to the seasons. Made up of rosettes that tend to cluster very quickly to form large horizontal carpets that do not exceed 15 cm in height, this plant has flat, long and pointed leaves that take on pale light green tones tinged with brownish and red when most exposed to the sun.