Calif_Sue said:Doesn't it mean "Monocarpic plants are those that flower, set seeds and then die."?
Yes it does Sue. But they may go for years before blooming. By then they have produced many offsets to replace the blooming rosette.
I have experimented with sempervivum this year.
1. I have tried cutting the bloom stalks off as soon as they are finished blooming.
2. Cutting them off as soon as they start growing.
3. Letting them go full cycle producing seeds.
I have had varying results with all 3 procedures. Some will continue making offsets in all three procedures. Most will not produce anymore offsets and just keep making new bloom stalks. Some finish the complete process all the way to mature seed and produce offsets on the dead bloom stalk.
This is Sempervivum 'Raspberry Ice'. When I sent up a bloom stalk I cut it off trying to stop the process. This was a new plant this year and had not made any offsets. When I cut the original bloom stalk out of the rosette it looked like it was going to make offsets. Each offset bloomed, with the exception of one lone offset. I may still have a Raspberry Ice yet.
