The return of Sempervivum Sundays

One of the groups of plants I have most been looking forward to getting back in the ground are the sempervivums.  With the alpine section of the first rockery planted (you can find the post here), some of my favourites were given their new homes. Most have settled in better than I could have hoped, even though this is a low time of year for growth as it is a little hot.

The s. virgil has coloured up perfectly and is gunning to be top semp in the bed.  I'm expecting it to fill in those gaps quickly as it was one of the best all-round performers at the last house. The only problem with it, are it can over pup creating an unruly clump. Not a bad problem to have I'm sure you'll agree.

I have also started planting some semps into gaps in the main succulent bed.

This little one is s. arachnoideum x nevadense. It has never quite looked as good as when I first bought it.  The clump is good, but they are not growing to their full potential as shown below.

I'm not sure if it needs more heat or what. Hopefully the new location will suit it better and it can flourish and give me rosettes like that again.

Some are showing their contentment by flowering.

S. packardian is a strange one.  I understood it was one of the larger forms and yet I have never got them to grow beyond about 7cm.  They have a good colour, just disappoint in their size.  Again I am hoping the new location will give better results.

With a bit of luck all the semps will bulk up nicely and will be a major feature in the garden come spring.  I have quite a few more ideas for using them around the garden, so unlike many of my succulents, I can continue to search out good varieties to increase my collection. 

Sempervivum Sunday: S. 'Green Dragon'

A little plant for the selection today and another of my favourites (although it seems I say that every week). Unlike last weeks plant, this one looks good all year and always has something worth looking at. S. 'Green Dragon' is another cutivar, green leaves with red tips, change slightly though the year.  

The photo above shows the summer colour, where only the tips are red.  Size wise, at only 1-3cm this one is in the small group.  The size can vary greatly depending on how it is grown; given space they grow, but left form a clump they stay around 1cm. The rosettes are very neat and never seem to get too messy.

The photo above shows not only the smaller size, but  the more red / distressed colour.  As you can see they clump quickly, with lots of offsets coming from the base of the plant.  One of the things I love about this plant, is how it spreads across the pot, new plants forming in the middle of the group and pushing up for the soil around the edge.  For me it works well in a pot of some sort, where it can form a carpet, maybe growing up to and over a rock or two.

Again no flowers as yet and can't find any images either.  Very winter hardy, a little change in colour, but no damage from cold and wet. I found out this summer that they also change colour in during very hot weather.

With their compact form, good clumping and good colour, well worth a place in a pot somewhere on display.

The stats:

• Cultivar
• Size: Small, 1-3cm
• Summer Colour: green with red tip, winter colour almost totally red.
• Rosette: Neat
• Offsets: Many forming from base of plant.
• Clump: Fast, creeping out across the pot.
• Flower: not known
• Winter hardiness: Good

Sempervivum Sunday: S. 'Packardian'

To be honest this Sundays selection alternates between being a great plant and not living up to expectations. Sempervivum 'Packardian' is another hybrid, with red leaves that are described as velvet looking.  On the good days there is no doubt its a very hansom form. The leaves are covered in fine hairs which combined with the dark red colour really does make it look like velvet.

Size wise, it should fit into the large group, and was purchased in the quest for the largest sempervivum. Sadly it has never quite lived up to the size promise and mine seem to stick around 7-10cm.

It could be the size thing, is a reflection that it's fussy for a sempervivum and can be difficult to settle. Strangely unlike some that fade away when they are unhappy, this one just stops growing, although it still offsets and goes on to flower. They tend to produce 2 or 3 offsets on mixed length stolons, it hasn't really formed a decent clump.

So far they haven't flowered for me, so can't describe them in detail, but photos on the internet suggest pink.  Given that I have owned the plant for 3 years, it's a surprise to have had no flowers.

They're fine over winter with little die back, but are one of the least colour-fast forms I own. The deep red is only their spring colour and if fades through the summer until they end up green/grey with only a hint purple for winter.

This is probably the first form I've highlighted here, that while it's worth a place in a collection, it is not always a stand out plant. So unlike some forms, this is one to move out into view for spring while it looks great and then move out of sight for the rest of the time.

The stats:

• Cultivar
• Size: Should be large, but mine seem to stay medium, 6 - 10cm
• Summer Colour: dark red, winter colour green/grey.
• Rosette: Neat
• Offsets: Few, on medium length stolons
• Clump: Slow to clump, but lives for a long time.
• Flower: Pink
• Winter hardiness: Good.

Sempervivum Sunday: S. 'Titania'

Todays pick is a bit of an illusionist; for it seems bigger than it is. S. 'Titania' is a cultivar from the US, apparently created by Ed Skrocki in 1980.  It is a very regal looking plant, with olive/gold leaves with burnt orange tips.

Size wise, it fits into the medium group, being 6 - 10cm across. It always strikes me as bigger though, maybe because it stays in fairly small clumps. It is quite a fast grower, but tends to only produce 2 or 3 offsets on medium length stolons. These root a little way from the parent plant, giving a feeling of a cluster of individual plants instead of a more defined clump. The rosettes are a good structured neat shape and stay that way throughout their life.

Sadly its flowers let it down a bit, being a very pale pink on the end of thin unbranched stems.  Flowers mid summer and have finished by August.

If planted with very good drainage, it is fine over winter, but you do have to watch it doesn't sit in damp soil. Overall it is another one of my favourites.

The stats:

• Cultivar from US
• Size: medium, 6 - 10cm
• Summer Colour: olive/gold with burnt orange tips
• Rosette: Neat
• Offsets: Few, on medium length stolons
• Clump: Doesn't tend to clump, instead new plants settle a little way form the parent
• Flower: Pink on thin stalks
• Winter hardiness: Good, although does not like sitting in water.

Sempervivum Sunday: S. 'Oddity'

Another of the aptly named varieties today, sempervivum 'Oddity' is a US cultivar of S. tectorum and is one of the most distinctive plants around.

It is is very slightly hairy around the edge of the leaves, and is green, with brown tips.  What sets it apart is that the leaves at first glance appear to be tubes. Infact these tubes are formed by the leaves folding back. It makes for an interesting plant.

Size wise, it fits into the medium group, at around 5-8cm.  It is very slow and offset, so do not expect big clumps. On the other hand it does not (as far as I know) seem to flower, so it has time to multiply instead of rushing.

Seems good for winter, although it is so slow I am not sure if it doesn't like it's growing conditions and is sulking, or if this is normal behaviour.

The stats:

• Cultivar
• Size: Medium
• Summer Colour: green with brown tips
• Rosette: Neat, with unusual tube like leaves.
• Offsets: Few
• Clump: Clumps slowly
• Flower: Does not seem to flower (or has not in the 4 years I have grown them)
• Winter hardiness: Good, no problems with being wet and cold.

Sempervivum Sunday: S. 'Jet Stream'

Todays subject is one of the slightly frustrating varieties. Sempervivum 'Jet Stream' is another US cultivar. Symmetrical rosettes with very dark red leaves with small hairs around the edge. A really strong colour, which stays for most of the year.

Size wise, it fits into the small group, being only 4 - 5cm across. It is not the biggest clumper, tending to produce only 2 or 3 offsets at most.  This should be fine except that it flowers really quickly and just as a clump starts to form a mass of flowers reduces it back to one or two plants again. 

The flower stalks start of thick, but then branch into slim stems. Flowers early summer and have finished by August.

Seems good for winter, with no noticeable die back, also seems to cope with heat without showing signs of stress.   If it wasn't for the problems with the very quick flowering these would be one of my favourite varieties.  As it is, they are well worth having for their compact shape and strong colour.  You just have to accept they will never really clump and you are going to only ever have a few plants.

The stats:

• Cultivar from US
• Size: Small
• Summer Colour: very dark red
• Rosette: Neat
• Offsets: Few, coming from the base of the plant
• Clump: Clumps slowly, but wiped out by flowering
• Flower: Pink on thin branched stalks
• Winter hardiness: Good, no problems with being wet and cold.

Sempervivum Sunday: S. 'Lively Bug'

First of the properly hairy varieties, S. 'Lively Bug' is a cultivar from the US.  This photo shows why it is worth a spot in any collection

This is a young plant with its summer colour; a brilliant purple/red. For the rest of the year they are green. The young leaves are covered in fine hairs, which are less prominent as they age. The spiral to the leaves, is very neat and is another of the draws. It fits in the medium size category about 6 to 8cm.

New plants form on short stolons from the lowest set of leaves.  These tend to be well distributed around the plant forming a neatly clustered group of plants, matching the very symmetrical rosette of the parent. Once the offsets grow and the whole group take on their summer colour there make a fine pot to have out on display.

As with many of the very structural forms, these tend to look best in their first few generations, before the pot gets too crowded and the clump becomes a bit messy.  At that stage I tend to select the largest plant and start over again.

They flower early summer with pink flows on top unbranched stem. Not the strongest colour, but beautiful flowers if you get in a bit closer.

Copes without problems with winter rain, although does die back a bit. Summer heat seems to be as big problem (which we found for the first time this year). Growth stops totally and getting the balance right yo ensure you get the summer colour without drying the plant out so much is a bit trial and error.

The stats:

• Cultivar
• Size: medium (6-8cm)
• Summer Colour:Reddish Purple
• Rosette: Neat, very structural spiral
• Offsets: Lots, coming from the base of the plant, on short stolons
• Clump: Clumps quickly, forming very neat groups
• Flower: Pink on thick stalks
• Winter hardiness: Good, no problems with being wet and cold.

Sempervivum Sunday: S. 'Lion King'

Let's get the tacky jokes about this being the king of the semps out of the way form the start.  A very aptly named cultivar from the UK, which really is one of the best of all varieties out there (of those that I have seen so far anyway). 

It is is very slightly hairy around the edge of the leaves, and is green, with brown tips.  Size wise, it fits into the large group, although at around 10cm it's not the biggest semp available.  It sizes up fairly quickly under the right conditions, but can be a little fussy at times and it is worth watching to find somewhere it likes.  The young plants are very upright in form, and tend to flatten out as they grow. The mature plants are great, but the young plants probably fit the name best.

Once settled, offsets are produced on stolons from the base of the plant.  Although doesn't seem to form big clumps.

They flower a bit later in the summer than many, with good thick flower spikes which branch along their length instead of just at the top.  Flowers are pale pink

Seems good for winter, although there is some shrinkage and a slightly paler colour, this is not that noticeable.   It does take a little time to settle as mentioned before, so I would avoid purchasing it or planting it after mid summer, so it has time to acclimatise to the new home.

The stats:

• Cultivar
• Size: Large
• Summer Colour: green with brown tips
• Rosette: Nea, very upright when young
• Offsets: Few, coming from the base of the plant, on stolons
• Clump: Clumps slowly
• Flower: Pink on thick stalks
• Winter hardiness: Good, no problems with being wet and cold.

Sempervivum Sunday: S. Virgil

Todays selection has to be one of the best varieties in my collection, S. Virgil

There are a lot of things going for this plant. Starting with the colour which in summer is a dark grey/purple and in winter is more lilac. Either way it stands out.  Size wise, it probably fits into the medium category, with individual plants being about 8 - 10cm across. It clumps very quickly with the new plants forming on short stolons, giving a tightly pack clump. 

It is not the most symmetrical variety, but all the clumps I have look like the photo above. It seems to look after itself, not needed any interference to stop clumps getting too messy or requiring gaps to be filled in.

They flowers mid summer with good thick flower spikes topped with pale pink flowers.

Finally it is fully hardy, coping with cold and wet without problems.  There is very little die back, so the clump looks good all year round. You can just plant this one and let it do what it does best.

Summary:

• Size: medium
• Summer Colour: Purple / grey (more lilac in winter)
• Rosette: Neat
• Offsets: Lots, coming from the base of the plant, on short stolons
• Clump: Clumps quickly and stays compact
• Flower: Pink on thick stalks
• Winter hardiness: Excellent, no problems with being wet and cold.

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.

Sempervivum Sunday

There are quite a few of these dotted around the garden, all neatly in pots waiting for the alpine areas and  I thought it would help keep track to select one each Sunday.  Quite a few were left at the old house, so not sure exactly how many there are, but enough to keep the series going over the summer and into autumn. This is a strange time of year for them, most are well into growth, but still have some of their winter colour. Then you have the ones that are starting to flower.  Given the plant dies afterwards, flowers are a mixed blessing.  In an ideal world, the next generation take over, growing to fill the gaps, and offsetting ready for when they flower in following years.

Sadly sometimes offsets struggle to keep up with the gaps left from the previous generation. A couple of years ago this pot was almost full, the wet summers and lots of flowers has left it looking rather sorry for itself.

Then in the worst case, you get a mass flower where all generations seem to flower at the same time. It is tough to enjoy the flower when you know it is going to decimate the display and you will be left with minimal plants afterwards.

I'll start with the first plant next Sunday, it will give me time to select the first subject and dig out records on how it has done.