Sempervivum Asstd. 1Gal

Latin Name: Sempervivum tectorum

Common Name: Hens and Chicks / Common Houseleek

Zones: 3–8

Height & Spread: 3–6 inches tall, spreading 12–18 inches wide (spreads indefinitely by offsets to form colonies)

Descriptive Features: A tough, ancient succulent with a genus name meaning "live forever" — historically planted on rooftops in medieval Europe, believed to ward off lightning and fire. Forms tight, symmetrical rosettes of thick, fleshy, pointed leaves in shades of green, blue-green, burgundy, or purple depending on cultivar and season, with color often intensifying in cooler fall and winter temperatures. Each central "hen" rosette continually produces numerous small "chick" offsets on short runners, gradually knitting together into a dense, mat-like colony. In summer, mature rosettes send up thick, fuzzy flower stalks topped with clusters of small, star-shaped pink to reddish flowers that attract bees — though the flowering rosette dies afterward, a natural part of its life cycle quickly replaced by the surrounding offsets. Extremely drought-tolerant and thrives in poor, lean, gritty soil with excellent drainage, struggling and prone to rot in rich or consistently wet conditions. Evergreen, deer- and rabbit-resistant, and virtually indestructible once established, tolerating extreme heat, cold, and neglect alike. An excellent choice for rock gardens, green roofs, stone wall crevices, troughs, and container plantings in full sun.