Scientific Name
Sempervivum calcareum 'Sir William Lawrence'
Common Name(s)
Houseleek, Hen and Chicks
Synonym(s)
Sempervivum 'Sir William Lawrence'
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Subtribe: Sedinae
Genus: Sempervivum
Origin
Sempervivum calcareum 'Sir William Lawrence' is a cultivar of Sempervivum calcareum. The origin is unknown.
Description
Sempervivum calcareum 'Sir William Lawrence' is a small succulent that forms attractive rosettes of grey-green leaves tipped with maroon red. The rosettes can grow up to 2.8 inches (7 cm) in diameter and produce offsets on stolons, forming dense clumps. The leaves are fleshy, ovate, and pointed.
Short spikes of pink flowers appear in summer. The rosettes die after flowering. However, the rest of the clump will not die and continue to grow, filling in the spaces.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 4a to 9b: from −30 °F (−34.4 °C) to 30 °F (−1.1 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Sempervivums are not difficult to grow, provided they are not waterlogged and killed from excess watering. They can be easily grown outdoors and in containers, and they earned the name "Houseleeks" from their tendency to root on the roofs of houses. It will naturally die after the mother plant flowers, but the plant has likely produced many offsets that will continue to grow by this time. These are excellent for cold windows. Sempervivum earned their popular name, "Hen and Chicks," from their growth habit. The mother plant, or hen, sends off numerous offsets, clustering around her base like chicks. These offsets can be easily repotted, or the plants can be left to form a clumping mat.
Repot as needed, preferably during the warm season. To repot a succulent, ensure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, removing any rotted or dead roots. Treat any cuts with a fungicide. Place the plant in its new pot and backfill it with potting soil, spreading the roots as you repot. Leave the plant dry for a week or so, then begin to water lightly to reduce the risk of root rot.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Sempervivum.
Links
- Back to genus Sempervivum
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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