Data specific to Sempervivum (Edit)
Hybrid: Yes
Hybridizer: Andre Smits
Country of Origin: (BE) Belgium
Year of registration: 1994
Origin of name: French for "Snowball".
Soil type: Dry
Well draining
Loamy / Medium
Sandy / light
Other: The soil type will depend on what your weather conditions are like. Just make sure it drains well.
Foliage: Webbing
Water: Very low
Average
Does not like wet feet
Uses: Accent
Containers
Pests and Diseases: Pest resistant
Availability: Easy to find
Source: North Hills Nursery
Toxicity: Low risk
None
Possible skin irritant to some people

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Showy
Flower Time: Summer
Late summer or early fall
Fall
Other: It may be several years before it blooms
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Uses: Provides winter interest
Groundcover
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Provide light
Stratify seeds: Stratifying seeds may improve germination, but is not required
Suitable for wintersowing
Sow in situ
Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods: Offsets
Pollinators: Various insects
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Monocarpic

Image
Common names
  • Hen and Chicks
  • Houseleek
  • Live Forever
  • Cobweb Houseleek
Also sold as:
  • Boule de Nigre

Photo Gallery
Location: Edrom nursery, Scotland
Date: 2014-05-02
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2016-03-16

3.26.11 - SE (Middle TN) Zone 6a

4.09.11 - SE (Middle,TN) Zone 6a

6-7-10 Upper Midwest Zone 4
Location: my garden zone 7b NC, USA
Date: 2013-07-19
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Sep 22, 2009
Photo courtesy of Cynda Foster, Perennial Obsessions
Location: Pot Collection
Date: 2014-08-22
Newly planted as received from SMG Succulents
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-07-08

2.7.11 - SE (Middle TN) Zone 6a - New
Location: Salem, Oregon
Photo compliments of Perennial Obsessions.
Location: my garden zone 7b NC, USA
Date: 2013-06-24

4/11/10 Upper Midwest Zone 4
Location: my garden zone 7b NC
Date: 2012-06-14
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Jun 10, 2011
Photo courtesy of Cynda Foster, Perennial Obsessions
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2014-08-17

Date: Jun 11, 2011
Photo courtesy of Erwin Geiger, Semper-vivum.de, Nursery Sempervi

Date: Jun 11, 2011
Photo courtesy of Erwin Geiger, Semper-vivum.de, Nursery Sempervi

Date: Jun 11, 2011
Photo courtesy of Erwin Geiger, Semper-vivum.de, Nursery Sempervi
Comments:
  • Posted by banker07 (Germany) on Sep 24, 2013 8:22 AM concerning plant:
    the name S. 'Boule de Nigre' appears some time; but it should be only a wrong writing of the cultivar S. 'Boule de Neige'; any time we find the wrong name, the research of the source came to the same result:

    the handwriting of André Smits causes this confusion; sometimes he himself made this mistake;

    a cultivar S. 'Boule de Nigre' has never been named;

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