Hens & Chicks 1g

APPEARANCE

• Colors: Many Sempervivum can change colors significantly through the seasons - you might not recognize them from one month to the next. They put on a show of reds, blues, purples, bronzes, and more, sometimes with two-tone shading or sharply contrasting leaf tips. NOTE: If you want more consistent year-round color, consider Sempervivum heuffelii.
• Form: Rosettes range from 0.25" to 10.0" in diameter. "Hens & Chicks" references the way a mother rosette sends out new offsets on stolons, which leads to dense colonies that can spread into a ground cover mat.
• Foliage: Leaves can be glossy, velvety, webbed, or tufted. Some cultivars are also lined with fine cilia that make them appear furry.
• Flowers: Sempervivum are monocarpic; after multiple years (typically 2-5), a rosette hen will send up a bloom stalk and open delicate, star-shaped flowers of pink, red, or yellow. Blooms can reach over 2.0' high and last for 2-4 weeks. This process marks the end of a hen's life, but the chicks surrounding it will survive and grow into the vacated space. What to Know About Sempervivum Flowers

CARE

• Light: In most climates, morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal for Sempervivum. They grow well in a wide range of light conditions, but at temperatures over 85F, extra shade will help them look their best. These tough plants can tolerate high temperatures or full sun, but preferably not both at the same time. Succulent Sunburn
• Soil: Coming from alpine habitats, Sempervivum prefer a lean, gritty soil like cactus/succulent potting mix or sandy loam. No fertilizer is necessary, but applying a slow-release, low-Nitrogen (5-10-10) fertilizer in the spring will encourage faster growth.
• Water: Sempervivum thrive with deep, infrequent watering when time is given for the soil to fully dry between soakings. Frequency will vary by location; start with about 2-3 times a week to establish young plants, 1-2 times a month for mature plants in the growing season, 1-2 times a month in the winter, and no water if the temperature is below freezing. For container plantings, we recommend using pots with drainage holes. How to Water Succulents
• Hardiness: Semps are ideal for succulent lovers in most regions, as they are frost hardy down to -20F (zone 5). They overwinter best protected under a blanket of snow, but using clear covers and bringing containers under shelter will help prevent rot in snow-free areas. Winter Succulent Care
• Propagation: Sempervivum do not require any propagation maintenance, but a gardener looking to transplant and multiply their colonies can easily dig up rosettes or cut new offsets from stolons and plant them in partial sun with well-draining soil to re-establish.