Scientific Name
Sempervivum heuffelii Schott
Synonym(s)
Diopogon heuffelii, Jovibarba heuffelii, Sempervivum patens var. heuffelii
Common Name(s)
Job's Beard
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Subtribe: Sedinae
Genus: Sempervivum
Etymology
The specific epithet "heuffelii" (pronounced "heff-EL-ee-eye") honors Johann Heuffel, also known as Ioan Heuffel, János A. Heuffel, or János Heuffel (1800-1857), an Austro-Hungarian county physician and a leading figure among Banat botanists.
Origin
Sempervivum heuffelii is native to Europe. It occurs in the mountains of the Balkan peninsula and the eastern Carpathians.
Description
Sempervivum heuffelii, formerly known as Jovibarba heuffelii, is a small succulent that forms rosettes of dark green to glaucous leaves, often reddish or brownish at the tips and sometimes with white margins. The rosettes can grow up to 4.8 inches (12 cm) in diameter and produce numerous offsets. The leaves are thick, fleshy, and pointed, with stiff cilia along the margins and a short spine at the tips. They can reach up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) in length and 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) in width.
The flowering stalk is erect and can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall. It bears a cluster of up to 40 white to yellowish flowers. Each rosette blooms only once and dies after flowering.
Cultivars of Sempervivum heuffelii
How to Grow and Care for Sempervivum heuffelii
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 4a to 9b: from -30°F (-34.4°C) to 25°F (-3.9°C).
Sempervivums are not difficult to grow, provided they are not waterlogged and killed by 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. After blooming, the mother plant will naturally die, but it has likely produced many offsets that will continue to grow by then. These are excellent for cold windows. Sempervivum earned its popular name, "Hen and Chicks," from their growth habit. The mother plant, or hen, sends off numerous offsets clustered 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 out as you repot. Leave the plant dry for a week or so, then begin to water lightly to reduce the risk of root rot.
See 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
Photo Gallery
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
