Sempervivum arachnoideum

hens and chicks' or houseleek

Eventual height & spread

Sempervivum arachnoideum

hens and chicks' or houseleek

  • 9cm pot
  • £7.99
  • In stock (shipped within 3-5 working days)
  • 3 × 9cm pots
  • £18.00 £23.97
  • In stock (shipped within 3-5 working days)
Delivery options
  • Standard £5.95
  • Named Day £10.95
  • Position: full sun
  • Soil: poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil with added grit
  • Rate of growth: average
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Hardiness: fully hardy

    This perennial evergreen plant grows in dense clusters, with rosettes of fleshy leaves that can be green or reddish in colour. At the tips of the leaves, there are white, cobwebby hairs that add texture and interest to the plant. The hue of the leaves can vary depending on the temperature and season, with the intensity of colour increasing during autumn and winter for an eye-catching display. In the summertime, the plant produces clusters of starry, pink flowers on stems that can grow up to about 12cm (5 inches) tall. Suitable for a well-drained alpine trough, pot or rockery.

  • Garden care: Sempervivums produce tall stalks of pink or red flowers in the late spring or early summer after which it will usually produce offsets, or new plants, from the base of the rosette. Remove dead plants after they have flowered to make room for new rosettes to form. Water moderately when actively growing and avoid winter wet.