Houseleek Succulents - care and info

Scientific name 'Sempervivum', these plants have a few nicknames including houseleeks, liveforever, and chicks and hens. They are in the family Crassulaceae and there are around 40-50 different species.

They are one of my favourite succulents, because I am able to leave them in the garden all year round!

 

Houseleeks grow in rosettes and propagate by growing offshoots from the middle stem. This is where they get their name 'chicks and hens'! As they grow bigger in width not height, they are often used as ground-cover - a colourful alternative to grass.

tiny 'chicks'

Like other succulents, houseleeks may need to be overwintered. They are hardy but extreme temperatures may kill them.

Talking about killing them, these are one of the many succulents that are monocarpic. In simplified words, the grow death blooms at the end of their life cycle then dry out leaving seeds and pups (baby plants) behind. Some succulents have a shorter life cycle than others, but don't worry if you see any succulent blooming - death blooms grow from the center of the plant.

 

death blooms from the center

They are pretty comfortable in uncomfortable growing conditions, I just grow them in pots but you can grow them on tiles, stone, and in poor soil. In Wales, it is believed that growing them on your roof brings good health and prosperity. All they need is good sunlight and somewhere well draining.

So, sempervivums are a great groundcover and easy growing plant for your garden or even interesting rocky displays. I have some inspo pins on my pinterest, linked in my bio if you are interested.

----> Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, Nate.