Sempervivum Sunday: S. ciliosum

First up, it is one of the earliest varieties to flower for me, sempervivuvm ciliosum.

One of the species sempervivums, it forms compact small rosettes about 2 - 4 cm across.  Mainly green, some can develop a red tinge in summer.  It offsets freely with new plants forming on stolons, which in some cases can be long, giving the clump a messy look.

It can be a quick grower, forming good clumps.  Rosettes seem to only produce one set of new plants, so don't be tempted to remove them, or you'll be left with an empty pot once the plant flowers. For me new offsets establish in the first year, offset themselves in the second, and flower in the third.

They flowers early summer, it is usually one of the first into flower for me. The flower stalks are slim, with pale yellow flowers in a tight cluster.

Not the best sempervivum winter wise,; it is not as wet tolerant as many. They tend to do better protected form the worst of the winter wet, shrinking a fair amount and becoming a pale green. They do recover quickly come spring. 

Overall a good plant, but needs to be left to do its own thing to form the best clumps, which can get a bit wild. Personally I like it much more as a young small clump where I can appreciate the patterns to each rosette and the symmetry to the stolons as they snake out.

Summary:

• Species sempervivum
• Size: Small
• Summer Colour: Green (some red)
• Rosette: Neat, very symmetrical
• Offsets: Lots, on long stolons
• Clump: Clumps quickly, but can be messy
• Flower: Yellow on thin unbranched stalks
• Winter hardiness: Susceptible to winter wet. Some winter die back, changes to pale green.