New Semps!

A few weeks ago, I visited a local nursery and found they had a shipment of named Sempervivums in stock.  These low-growing rosette succulents are members of the Crassulaceae family and come in a wide range of forms and sizes. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sempervivum), there are nearly 40 species, and over 3000 named varieties in cultivation. Also known as hens and chicks, houseleeks, or just Semps, this genus can be rather addictive. It can be difficult to find named varieties in garden centres, in my experience, mail order or online shopping is the best way to find them.


Anyway, I ended up buying nine specimens, representing eight varieties. Here they all are...

 

Close-up photos of each one are below. 

Sempervivum "Red Beauty"

S. arachnoideum Stanfieldii 

S. "Excalibur". I really like the shape and colouring of this one.

Also labelled S. "Excalibur", but the leaves appear longer and the colouring is slightly different.

S. "Icicle". I love the hairiness of this one.

S. "Kalinda"

S. "Spring Beauty"

S. "Pink Charm". I really like the bright pink stolons on this one, they aren't very apparent in this photo, unfortunately.

 S. arachnoideum

I'll post updated photos once they get established in their new locations in my arid bed. When I planted them in the ground, I found that they were planted in almost pure peat moss, which is far from ideal media for semps. I don't know how the nurseries grow them so well in this stuff, which goes against everything you will read about growing succulent plants....

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