Scientific Name
Sempervivum 'Silver King'
Common Names
Hens and Chicks, Houseleek
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Subtribe: Sedinae
Genus: Sempervivum
Origin
Sempervivum 'Silver King' is a hybrid of unknown parentage.
Description
Sempervivum 'Silver King' is a small succulent that forms rosettes of fleshy, silvery-tinged, minty green leaves. The rosettes grow to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, producing short-stalked offsets and forming crowded, colorful, richly textured mats. Leaves often intensify in color in cold weather, their strong red-purple centers contrastingly boldly with frost and snow.
In summer, the older rosettes send out a thick, erect stalk bristling with scaly leaves and topped with a cluster of small pink flowers. Rosettes die after flowering.
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. After the mother plant flowers, it will naturally die, 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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