I only grow four - all found at the big box stores. They could easily turn into another plant obsession. I got two which did so well, I looked for and found two more the following year. The first two were faster growers. Here's one of the first which was labeled S. hybrid 'Pilioseum' and in the time of year when it sort matches the container. It sat still the first year then badly outgrew that container and got moved here, now in it's 2nd year.


Then I found this one the next year. I have misplaced the name it came with On a handwritten plant name list I think I used as a book marker. I'll find it one of these days, I hope. Here it is last summer and last week.


And another that has the name on the lost list. I do remember it had something about a 'cobweb', but I'm sure there was more than that. Last summer and last week. These last two semps have not been quite as easy as the first two were, but they get a bit better as time goes along. They do tend to go backwards in the head of summer here, though.


And back to one of the originals with my question. This was labeled 'Purple Beauty' which isn't much info. It has done really, really well but it's clearly time to tear into it and get it redone. However, when the squirrels have broken rosettes off, I haven't managed to get them to root and make new plants. What's the trick? Some of these may be beyond saving, but nearly everything low is still healthy. I may just need to remove the upper growth and let it fill in, but I'd like to try this in the ground and I have a large sandstone rock with natural holes that drain I'd like to try it in.

Wow Donald lovely!! If you remove the top "hens" (these plants are called hens and chicks) you can take off the dried leaves and then replant them easily! They root very quickly. This is the perfect time of year to do that - before your heat kicks in, it'll give it time to grow.
I love semps because of the color changes, from green to such vibrant colors and back again!
Enjoy and yes be careful!! It has become a plant obsession for me
Also don't know if you asked this or not, but because of all the color changes and individual circumstances effecting what a plant looks like, once its lost its label it is nearly impossible to say "oh yeah, that looks like that one" better to just call it a NOID (as in No identification ) I have many of those - lost labels and we love our NOIDs just as much as the ID'd ones Cheers

Well said Greg.
I have my favorite NOIDs also.

Donald those all look wonderful. And I agree with Greg, shouldn't be difficult at this time of year to move the rosettes to other locations. They have sure been growing well for you.

needrain said:I only grow four - all found at the big box stores. They could easily turn into another plant obsession. I got two which did so well, I looked for and found two more the following year. The first two were faster growers. Here's one of the first which was labeled S. hybrid 'Pilioseum' and in the time of year when it sort matches the container. It sat still the first year then badly outgrew that container and got moved here, now in it's 2nd year.


Then I found this one the next year. I have misplaced the name it came with On a handwritten plant name list I think I used as a book marker. I'll find it one of these days, I hope. Here it is last summer and last week.


And another that has the name on the lost list. I do remember it had something about a 'cobweb', but I'm sure there was more than that. Last summer and last week. These last two semps have not been quite as easy as the first two were, but they get a bit better as time goes along. They do tend to go backwards in the head of summer here, though.


And back to one of the originals with my question. This was labeled 'Purple Beauty' which isn't much info. It has done really, really well but it's clearly time to tear into it and get it redone. However, when the squirrels have broken rosettes off, I haven't managed to get them to root and make new plants. What's the trick? Some of these may be beyond saving, but nearly everything low is still healthy. I may just need to remove the upper growth and let it fill in, but I'd like to try this in the ground and I have a large sandstone rock with natural holes that drain I'd like to try it in.

Oh, what a pretty colony you have there!

The rosettes should root easily? Just by putting them in gritty potting soil and wait? That's how I did them before and they just sat there forever and I thought they were fine, but when I went to put them in a container, no roots. Eventually they dried up. The squirrels don't care whether it's the right time or not to detach the rosettes.

I really have liked them. So far I've just allowed them to do what they wanted and haven't fussed over them, so they have made great plants which get a lot of attention when people see them. That one is just ready for some renovation and there are so MANY increases on it that I'm ready to do a bit of experimenting if I can get them to root.

You might some how protect the new plantings from being disturbed while they are rooting. Maybe some kind of netting over the container?

Donald - when I'm rooting the chicks I do give them water - you didn't mention watering so wanted to make sure that you give them some water just not too much

The first ones weren't disturbed. They just sat there. It was very hot, but I kept them in a cool spot. Possibly just too hot? I've not tried but three and one of those looked good and might have been growing, but I gave it to someone and I don't know how it did. I'm assuming they don't need burying very deep and don't need to be kept to damp? I sort of handled them like most other succulents. Much of the time those will root and grow, but not always.

We were cross posting, Greg. Yes, I didn't let them dry up. That can be an issue here and can happen really quickly. I actually thought they had probably rooted and were o.k. because they looked good for a long time. But when I went to re-pot them, there just weren't any roots. Only twice, though, at different times. From the way they put out those babies, I just thought they would do it relatively easily and they didn't cooperate. I'm sure I can get some to cooperate at some point. I have an Echeveria that's really difficult to propagate and it looks like it ought to be easy . It's always putting on new babies, but the success rate is very low on turning them into new plants. Some of that may be my growing conditions, but not everything is so temperamental about it.

Donald, for me I've found that when the "chicks" are trying to root, I do give them water every day (or keep them a bit on the moist side) so that is different from other succulents, and you do risk mold or rot if its too damp - finding that happy medium is the trick! The main challenge I have with these guys is that I jumped right in and now have several hundred different types so be very careful about that

You may have to consider the timing when you repot them..I usually try to do my repot in early Spring of my succulents, if it can wait. Or early Fall is also good, it just came from very hot temps and by Fall, temps are cooling down slowly, still giving time for new transplants to grow roots before colder weather sets in.

In our area since it is just so bone dry, I have to spray the semps every morning, and it seems to work, seeing offsets and more color variation, but the heat of the sun has prompted some to bolt early. So it seems, got to somehow help this plants keep cool, after all they are more of alpine succulents.