Hi everyone

Does anyone know if Sempervivum helveticum is a proper species or is it a hybrid? The Royal Horticultural Society lists S. helveticum as a synonym but doesn't say of what, and these websites list it as another name for Sempervivum montanum.

https://mikesgardentop5plants....

http://www.plantenvinder.nl/pl...

However, the database on this website says it's a hybrid. The name helveticum "of/from Switzerland" sounds like a proper botanical name to me. Scratching my head on this one! I wish Sempervivums had a comprehensive encyclopedia.

For the mystery semp, (detective hats please! ) when I was out today I found this on a rack of succulents from Cactus Collection. The container says 'Hens and Chicks Asstd. / Sempervivum Species', and I once contacted Cactus Collection about a semp Home Depot had from them but never heard back. I am thinking possibly Sempervivum tectorum or the like? It definitely looks like this one listed on their website

http://www.cactusshop.com/libr...

but I'm not quite sure because my S. tectorums are usually either very green or reddish. Any thoughts?

And I apologize for my posts, they always seem to be so long.

Hi Paul.
Great questions. This is what I find:
The only reference I find to helveticum is that it is a synonym, some say for S. montanum. What is on the market right now as S. 'Helveticum' does not look like a montanum species type semp?
http://www.youngs-garden.com/s...
http://mountaincrestgardens.co...
We do have an entry in the database. Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Helveticum')
Nothing is really know about this semp, 'Helveticum'.

Your photo is lovely, but no way of identifying it. I would love to see what it looks like through the seasons.

Hi Lynn, here is what mine looks like, it hasn't ever bloomed, but when it does we'll know if it has montanum in its heredity... From the looks I would say possible, it is a small tufted semp

Yours looks the same as MCG and Young's, also Patty's photo in our database.

Lynn, what are some things to look for to identify a montanum type sempervivum? I have 'montanum ssp. minimum' in my collection, but not 'montanum' proper yet (unless 'helveticum' is indeed 'montanum').

Nice photo, Greg! Here are some pictures I snapped earlier this year of mine. The leaf tips turn a beautiful cherry red until it gets too hot to keep them in full sun.

Nice Paul - it does look a little like helveticum

Here are a bunch of S. montanum with a number of subspecies.
http://www.semperhorst.de/Natu...

And 5 pages more.
http://sempervivum-liste.de/na...

Thank you for the links, Lynn

It never ceases to amaze me how different sempervivums can look from each other, even within the same species.

It is fascinating isn't it.

Just wanted to share some updated photos of this NOID with all of you and its cold weather coloration. It's blushed the same shade of violet/purple as some of my opuntias do when our temperatures drop. It had many of its lower leaves dry out from the summer heat, but made it through otherwise unfazed and has perked up quite a bit and even has a brand new offset beginning to peek from between the leaves

Wow, that is awesome Paul. The color is stunning.
Be sure you add those photos to the new NOID thread Bev started. They are going to love this.
The thread "The My-Noid-ity Report" in Sempervivum forum