House Leek Sempervivum

The Live-forever succulent or Sempervivum says it all.  The Latin word 'Sempervivum' means 'forever alive'. 

These plants grow in small rosettes that sit low to the ground, offsets densely packed on long stolons.  The offsets are produced each season, are simple to separate, and make propagation an easy process.  These offsets are why the plant is often called "Hens & Chicks" and allow the plant to seem to live forever. 

They grow best in full to part sun, especially with some afternoon shade, and well-drained compost containing up to 50% sand or other gritty soils.  Any location that provides sunlight and good drainage will serve as an excellent spot to grow.  They prefer growing zones where they can enjoy cool nights and cold-dormant seasons.   

They flourish where many other plants would wither and die.  Such locations include in trays or other containers, in the ground, on wood, or in rock piles.  Many of the varieties are frost-hardy and thrive in much colder temperatures than other succulents.  For those that are not, they can be brought indoors in the cooler months. Additionally, they are not as heat-tolerate as other succulents, especially in climate zones 8 and above.

They make a great addition to dish gardens, terrariums, and other small arrangements such as in seashells.

This succulent is monocarpic, with 'mono' meaning once and 'caprice' relating to fruit.  After flowering once, the mother plant will die, but the fruits will have produced seeds for reproduction.  In addition, the mother plants' offsets or pups will continue to reproduce vegetatively.  A mother plant can flourish and continue to produce offsets for many years before flowering.  Overcrowded plants can cause a plant to bloom early, indicating that it was not happy in its current living conditions.  

Quick ID:

• Low-growing, small rosettes surrounded by many offsets
• Leaves may be lined with fine hairs or "spiderweb" structures
• Cymes of star-shaped flowers with 6+ petals

VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.