Sempervivum tectorum
Common name: Common houseleek · Hens and chicks · Jupiter's beard
Sempervivum tectorum is a mat-forming evergreen succulent native to the mountains of southern Europe, from the Pyrenees to the Alps and the Carpathians. It forms dense rosettes of thick, pointed, green leaves often tipped with red, and spreads by offsets ("chicks") around the mother rosette. Each rosette flowers once, sending up a stalk of star-shaped pink flowers, then dies and is replaced by its offsets. It is one of the most widely grown hardy succulents, traditionally planted on rooftops and in rock gardens.
Fun facts
- Romans planted houseleeks on roofs, believing they protected the house from lightning — hence "tectorum", meaning "of the rooftops".
- Each rosette is monocarpic: it flowers once after a few years, then dies, leaving its offsets to carry on.
- The Latin name Sempervivum means "always alive", a nod to the plant's extreme hardiness and drought tolerance.
- Its leaves were once used in folk medicine as a cooling remedy for burns and stings, much like aloe.
Care summary
The Sempervivum tectorum Patch
1 plant · 1 grower on xylery
The fall light through the window is making Baron von Verdant's colors pop.
Repotted Baron von Verdant before the cold sets in. Settled in nicely.
Gave Baron von Verdant one last outdoor rain shower before the move inside.
Dropped the feeding schedule — Baron von Verdant is winding down for the year.
Watered and rotated toward the sun.
The variegation on the new leaf is unreal.
Make your own Common houseleek · Hens and chicks · Jupiter's beard profile
Common problems
References
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