Sometimes when I think I've seen it all, I see a new silly nursery trend that defies logic and practicality. This spring I started seeing Treadwell (Trade Mark) series of plants which includes about a dozen large-rosette Sempervivum cultivars advertised as good plants capable of taking light-to-medium foot traffic! It's complete with goofy cartoon labels, wouldn't want this character and his giant sneakers getting anywhere close to my semps. I can't imagine who would believe this to be a good idea, one clumsy-footed stomp on brittle succulent semps will destroy them. Here are photos of 'Oddity' and 'Royal Ruby' semps at a nursery.




They have other plants totally inappropriate for garden positions where they can get walked on, such as Sedum pachyclados (Rhodiola pachyclados), too precious to be stomped on.


There has been over the years a similar concept trademark series called "stepables" but it has more sensible proven plants that take foot traffic, such a number of Thymus, Ajuga, and Veronica, etc. It does however come with the requisite goofy cartoon labels.
https://www.stepables.com/

Foot traffic semps. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.

Stepable Plants have been around for quite some time and put out some very nice stepable type plants. They are located not very far from me.

Wellll -- my century semps are EXTREMELY hardy, however, workmen replacing our patio fences - who were actually trying to be careful - pretty much squashed them. I have a mess to deal with now - a tragedy since we are planning to use them as favors at my son's wedding. I cannot imaging any semp living through foot traffic. You should buy one, walk on it, then post some photos.

cwhitt said:Wellll -- my century semps are EXTREMELY hardy, however, workmen replacing our patio fences - who were actually trying to be careful - pretty much squashed them. I have a mess to deal with now - a tragedy since we are planning to use them as favors at my son's wedding. I cannot imaging any semp living through foot traffic.

You should buy one, walk on it, then post some photos.

I thought about that when recently I was cleaning up an overcrowded flat of Semp 'Canada Kate' where half the rosettes flowered, so I separated messy dead hens from the remaining overcrowded hens and chicks. While sorting & cleaning & replanting, I lost track of two large hens until I found them on the ground after inadvertently stepping on them; just like spent squeezed lemons, those two rosettes were goners. I should've snapped a pic.

cwhitt said:Wellll -- my century semps are EXTREMELY hardy, however, workmen replacing our patio fences - who were actually trying to be careful - pretty much squashed them. I have a mess to deal with now - a tragedy since we are planning to use them as favors at my son's wedding. I cannot imaging any semp living through foot traffic. You should buy one, walk on it, then post some photos.

Christie- While mine hold no sentimental value, I would be happy to send you a bunch of offsets from my tough-as-nails-first semp I got. It turns a beautiful maroon color in winter and olive green in summer. I have a few mounds of these and got probably 30-40 new offsets this spring. Zero rot, super tough, and a good producer. I could give you 20-30 decent sized offsets if your interested. Or if you 'd like some for yourself just let me know. I'd be happy to send them for postage.

Jesse

oooooo @JesseInCT! THAT might be just the thing! Let me wait a bit longer until I find out when the wedding is and how many people they are inviting, and see how many of my century semps are usable! THANKS!

AntMan01 said:Sometimes when I think I've seen it all, I see a new silly nursery trend that defies logic and practicality. This spring I started seeing Treadwell (Trade Mark) series of plants which includes about a dozen large-rosette Sempervivum cultivars advertised as good plants capable of taking light-to-medium foot traffic! It's complete with goofy cartoon labels, wouldn't want this character and his giant sneakers getting anywhere close to my semps. I can't imagine who would believe this to be a good idea, one clumsy-footed stomp on brittle succulent semps will destroy them. Here are photos of 'Oddity' and 'Royal Ruby' semps at a nursery.




They have other plants totally inappropriate for garden positions where they can get walked on, such as Sedum pachyclados (Rhodiola pachyclados), too precious to be stomped on.


There has been over the years a similar concept trademark series called "stepables" but it has more sensible proven plants that take foot traffic, such a number of Thymus, Ajuga, and Veronica, etc. It does however come with the requisite goofy cartoon labels.
https://www.stepables.com/

AHHHHHHHH!!!! I was just scrolling through the forum and saw this. Went to my local nursery, and now they have Miniature Raspberry Vines put as "steppable" too. Ok, noone try stepping on Pachyclados, it'll turn into mush. or any other sempervivum.