Introducing...
Sempervivum
Common name: Houseleek
Geometric low-growing houseleeks with their colourful evergreen rosettes are a doddle to grow. Only requiring sun and good drainage, grow them in a rock or gravel garden, on a green roof or in array of pots and creative containers.
Looks
Many houseleeks form evergreen rosettes of pointed, fleshy leaves in bright green, grey or purplish-red. Some form pleasing hummocks with a ‘cobweb’ of white hairs. In summer flowerstalks appear from the centre of the rosettes bearing starry flowers in white, red, yellow or purple.
Likes
Sempervivums need well-drained growing conditions in an open sunny spot. They are well adapted to extremes of temperature and drought.
Dislikes
Sempervivum dislike overly fertile soil, shade and sites that don't drain well. A few such as Sempervivum erythraeum may need some protection from winter wet, so bring into a cold glasshouse, coldframe or prop up a piece of perspex to keep the rain off.
Did you know?
While rosettes that have flowered then die, the plant sends out many stolons (horizontal shoots) with mini plants on the end so in spring you can easily pop one of the offspring in its place with a little bit of compost to fill the gap.
Growing guide
How to grow sempervivum
All the information you'll need to grow and care for sempervivum in your garden
Sempervivum we recommend
Sempervivum calcareum 'Guillaumes'
houseleek 'Guillaumes'
- Up to 10cm
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Sempervivum calcareum 'Guillaumes'
houseleek 'Guillaumes'
- Up to 10cm
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Useful advice
Alpines for dry stone walls
Gravel gardens
Green roofs
Green walls
Rock gardening
Rock gardens: plants
Scree gardening
Sink and trough gardening
Sink and trough gardening: plants for
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