At one point in time, perhaps a decade ago, I had about 200 species and cultivars of Sempervivum and Jovibarba. The idea was to create a patchwork quilt garden of colorful semps. But of course, with my ridiculous schedule, my potted semps eeked out a meager living in pots too small, languishing frrom utter neglect, and sadly I lost many (most) of them over the years, and some that I still do have the labels are lost or worn off... grrrrrr.
A few years ago an offset from a tray of potted Sempervivum cultivars dropped off into a gravel "drip strip" under the roof overhang, the semp doing very well there and growing into a pretty clump. But I don't what which one it is, although I seem to recall a red ciliate one called 'Maigret', maybe that is its name.
Comments
Mark McDonough
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 05/21/2011 - 7:35pmAn update on my semp planter, the season is progressing well, and semps and jovibarbas are coloring strongly, the rosettes now expanding and opening up, the chicks just starting.
My wheelbarrow planter is looking good too, although I have too many red-leaf types planted, needs better color variety, so I'm going down to a local nursery tomorrow that typically has a good selection of semps, a few Rosularia, and some hardy "mesembs".
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 05/22/2011 - 3:32amMark, the red-leaved ones contrast very nicely with the rocks.
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 05/22/2011 - 8:58amBoth are looking great, Mark!
An ambulatory planting! ;D ;D Excellent concept!
I'll keep an eye out for 'Gold Bug'. I've never seen one like that - very nice!
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 06/11/2011 - 8:31pmSempervivum octopodes
var.apetalum- The name is an apropos description, as its stolons are very long (5+ inches on a vigorous plant) before it sets its new babies. I've had the fingers reach out over two pots before depositing its offspring in the third. You can imagine how a single rosette with these long "tentacles" would look very much like an octopus.This is a December photo:
I am not always a fan of green flowers, but I do like this one. Flowering now:
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 06/11/2011 - 9:50pmI like that one too. That's an amazingly early bloom, or is your season that different from here?
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 06/11/2011 - 10:19pmIt is very early, but that is normal for the species according to the literature. The next sempervivum to bloom that I have(had) is another ciliate type, 'Maigret', and it will be another week and a half to two weeks yet. (I donated that 5 inch potful to the Chapter sale.)
The biggest difference, I think, between our climate timing is that we have a very compressed spring, and leap right into summer quickly. Three days ago we had a 101 F day! Most years, we don't even reach 100 degrees all summer long. It has changed the growth pattern of several plants. Lilium szovitsianum infolorescence are very compact and only half as big as they should be, but still will the same number of flowers.
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 06/11/2011 - 10:35pmWe have prolonged springs! They start in February and last to June ;D
101F :o We'll never experience that here (at the coast where I live). If we hit 85F that would be front page stuff.
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 06/11/2011 - 10:36pmI see. Yeah, it doesn't reach 100 deg F here until.... err, well, never in recorded history actually. ;D
Glad to hear your lily will still bloom well despite the hot spring.
Mark McDonough
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 06/12/2011 - 6:22amA species not often seen, I too like S. octopodes, I used to grow it in the days of having a bigger semp collection. Typically I prefer semps with short stolons so that they build into tight mats, but this one makes such a mass of criss-crossing stolons and chicks, that it visually fun. Good cilia too, I'm a fan of ciliolate semps. Google this semp and you'll see lots of good images.
I wonder however about the var. apetalum part, as the variety apetalum "differs from the type mainly by the absence of petals and stamens, also having more numerous sepals". There are a couple good links that describe this species in the wild, as well as describe the variety. My guess is, much of what goes around as var. apetalum is actually the type species S. octopodes.
Sempervivum octopodes on Mt. Pelister, Macedonia
http://stalikez.info/fsm/semp/site/octo_gb.php
http://www.deeproot.co.uk/pbo/plantdetail.php?plantname=Sempervivum+octo...
So far as early bloom on semps, it's not unusually early in this area; with some moisture and warm to hot weather they surge into bloom. Here's one that I lost the label on (might be S. 'Maigret') that is nearly in bloom, taken on June 6, 2011, nearly a week ago.
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 06/12/2011 - 7:32amI had seen that same original description about the variety before, Mark. In fact I had saved the page on my pc. Frankly, I don't think I could distinguish between petals and sepals for verification, even if I dissected the flower. Also, how it could be a true variety if it doesn't produce stamens (and therefore pollen) for reproduction? So I wonder if that part of the 1929 description is an anomaly. But I also read the rest that same literature quote that is more consistent with my plant:
For var. apetalum
--- "The rosettes are generally larger than these of the type and can reach between 2,5 to 3 cm in diameter" (I have had ones larger than that.)
--- "[leaves] with a less well defined brown marking on the apices." (Depending on the season and care afforded, my rosettes can look like my pic below.)
--- "Offsets are very freely produced on even longer stolons than the type, up to 9 cm in length." (As I said, I have had 5+ inches [12+cm])
--- "Unlike the type, this plant withstands the winter damp well and is very easy of culture." (Never had any hint of a cultural problems here, for the four winters that I have grown it. It's as easy as any semp.)
Obviously, I've been wrong before; what do you (or anyone) think?
Edit: Further study has me convinced that I have the type species, not the variety apetalum.
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That 101 F day was really freaky, and very windy. It was like being in a windy, dry sauna all day. Like when you're in the sauna and blow on yourself, and it feels hotter rather than cooler. Weird for us northerners. Fortunately, it was only one day - 85 F the day before, 75 the day after. But blooms really took it hard and withered rapidly. Out of many, I have one promising seedling from Iris setosa 'Tourist': saw it opening at 5:30am when I went to work, and it had shriveled by the time I got home.:(
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Mon, 06/13/2011 - 11:50amInteresting octopus, Rick!
Not unlike this one, unnamed as usual ;D
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Mon, 06/13/2011 - 6:13pmA very nice one, Trond. It has flaming leaf tips!
Another thing I have noticed about S. octopodes: when it flowers, the stem always looks as though it is dying prematurely, even before it has finished flowering. This time I am going to let it go to seed and see what happens...
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Mon, 06/27/2011 - 11:04pmHer is one of my nameless Semps in flower now:
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 06/28/2011 - 9:17amThose seem to be a lot longer and more clasping leaves along the stems than what I am used to, Trond.
I like it.
Various photos of Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Minus':
An early November shot. That's it to the left of Pediocactus simpsonii.
Late April:
I like how the colony builds in irregular height.
Late June:
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 06/30/2011 - 1:03amSome fine cushions, Rick! Are you a fan too?
I do grow a few at my summerhouse together with Sedum and other drought resistant plants. (Boat house in background)
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 06/30/2011 - 3:42pmlots of lovely plants, everyone! I've been taking tons of photos of my plants, and almost keeping up editing them, but no time left to post after that!
Here is a small series of some plants I received in 2009 from a European collector as tiny offsets of 'lost label' plants; she is a very serious collector, and if she felt they couldn't be named, I wont try! (probably some she knew species and lost clone info, others are doubtless hybrids).. from May 24 this year
I stuck them almost blindly into some group pots to mature- they were etiolated and pale from the mail, so part from seeing some hints of red, I didn't know what I was planting next to what... Now most of the pots are very full and need some divisions, especially where a couple of tiny forms are being overwhelmed!
Keep in mind that colours tend to stay good here all year, at least in recent cold summers, and always with cool nights!
This reddish plant is one of the 'fanciest' forms I have, its just getting going here,from its compact winter form, but all summer shows very interesting markings/banding on the leaves besides good colour..
Group shots..
A couple other nice ones.. the second red is an extra dark one...
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 06/30/2011 - 3:52pmA couple of jovis, since I don't see a separate thread for those....
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Fri, 07/01/2011 - 11:36pmYou have some nice potfulls as well, Cohan!
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 07/02/2011 - 11:21pmThanks, Trond! Some of those pots are really full and I have to take out some really small forms soon as they are being overwhelmed by bigger ones.. and many of the plants are ready to flower this year, after the 2009 plantings--I received two separate sets of pieces that year, one of species and named forms, and one of lost labels, and lots of flowers coming in both sets...
Also my S ciliosum, which was a local purchase in ( I think) 2008, is flowering for the first time, with seven flower stalks currently flowering, and I noticed two more small ones coming! It will be decimated, but it has many many offsets in a small space.. I'll post photos, but I want to put together a series ....
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 07/03/2011 - 8:05pmYour certainly have a nice form of Jobibarba allionii, Cohan. This December pic shows the most color mine ever gets:
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Mon, 07/04/2011 - 11:48amThanks, Rick, its a fave for sure-staying tightly closed most of the year, such great form! It's actually a clone with location data; at first I just thought it maintained its tight form and colour due to my chilly weather (which likely still is a factor, as it is with all the semps) but then I realised that in one of my no-name pots there seems to be another allioni, which is paler and looser..
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Mon, 07/04/2011 - 9:58pmThis little thing is sort of a Sempervivum/Jovibarba ally, I suppose... Rosularia muratdaghensis. (To give a sense of scale, the hairy thread-like things are seeds of Pulsatilla vulgaris and the plants next to it are Sedum acre.) It is supposed to have hairy rosettes (which I suppose it does), and flowers on which the petals are partially fused into a tube (haven't seen it bloom yet).
Cohan, you were growing another Rosularia sp., I seem to recall. Did it winter over?
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Mon, 07/04/2011 - 10:56pmThat looks like a really nice one, Lori! I've seen this on seed lists, don't think I have the seed (I have a couple unsown..)
Yes, I have Rosularia (Prometheum) aizoon, a small clump planted in a pot which has been sunk for winters, in 2009, and its doing great! Slowly expanding its clump of tiny rosettes, no flowers yet.. I may not have photographed it this year yet, if so can't find the shot right now.. I'll take one in the next few days..
Ironically, the piece I kept indoors for insurance has survived but barely, I'll put it outside as well...lol
Meanwhile, for Rick, here is that same Jovibarba allioni (that is, same form, not the same plant, necessarily, I have it in a few spots, all young clusters like this.. not quite as fast as the J globifera hirta I got at the same time) with better spring colour/form, from May 11; this file has the location data in the name..
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 07/05/2011 - 8:04pmExquisite, Cohan! If you ever get seed...
My allionii have never produced a flower yet, in the seven years I have grown them.
Lori, you grow Sedum acre... in the garden? That, and S. sexangulare are unwelcome weeds here! I do grow a variegated form of S. acre, but only in a trough where I can keep a close watch on it.
Sempervivum flowers can be so similar, but they are so cute!
Sempervivum 'Bronco'
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 07/05/2011 - 8:55pmErrr, yes, I guess so... I have assumed that it's Sedum acre but I haven't really paid any attention to it. Does it look like S. acre to you? It does get similar yellow flowers, sparingly. It doesn't have the sexangularity ( ;D) of S. sexangulare. If it is S. acre, I guess the lousy soil and dry conditions are enough to keep it in check, as it has not spread rampantly in the >10 years it's been there. ???
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 07/05/2011 - 11:37pmI have some bits of what I presume to be S acre that came in a mixed pot of small sedums, still in some small pots sunk for winter, and in my big mixed pot... no spreading so far (only a couple of years).. no flowering either... we'll see what happens in the ground... winters may be enough to keep it under control...
The Jovis are still small, and that allioni does not seem very fast, so time will tell about flowers... lots of the semps from the same plantings (2009) are flowering this year, and I agree they are cute, I like the pinks best, but have a full covering of yellow on ciliosum--you can't see the plants without peeking under!
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Wed, 07/06/2011 - 7:36pmI am no sedum expert, but Lori, yours does look like it. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if there are easily mistakable imposters. Sedum acre flowers prolifically here. Maybe it is just your climate...
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Wed, 07/13/2011 - 6:03pmhere is the Rosularia (Prometheum) Lori was asking about.. I've grown it outdoors here--in a pot, sunk for winter, as beds have not been ready-- since summer 2009.. so it has dealt with two winters so far; 2009 had late warm weather, followed by an abrupt plunge to -20C (pots were not yet sunk), then wet, then as usual a cold snow-covered mid-wnter; lows to around -40C once or twice...
Last year, lasting snow cover came early -mid-nov-and very heavy and stayed late-parts of this garden were out of snow by mid-April, off and on;
The Rosularia has been unphased by these winters, and looks completely healthy when the snow goes..
First shot from May 01, second from yesterday; Prometheum aizoon
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 07/19/2011 - 9:52pmThat plant is looking very good, Cohan.
More sempervivum flowers...
'Ruby Heart':
And Jovibarba hirta:
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Wed, 07/20/2011 - 11:33pmSome additions from me, too...
Jovibarba heuffelii and Sempervivum 'Bronco'
Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Minus'
April 29th shot of Sempervivum 'Robin' and S. arachnoideum 'Minus'
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 07/21/2011 - 11:05amLori, I know they aren't grown for the flowers, but I find them quite charming! They are putting on a good show here this year--most of my plants are still smallish, but I guess a lot of them reached maturity this year...
Rick--great colour especially on the April shots..nice big clumps, too..
A locally purchased S arachnoideum tomentosum.. when I bought this, I was sceptical about it being arach: the rosettes were large and open, and not that wooly--obviously grown in a greenhouse or some much milder climate (B.C.?) a couple years here they are small and tight as they should be...(more so in this overcrowded nursery pot.. I do find rosettes are much larger when first planted with lots of room.. no surprise, I guess..)
S x fimbriatum (behind) and S cv Rhodenicum in front; overview of the named semp nursery pot, with names..
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 07/21/2011 - 11:24amSome views of unnamed semps in nursery pot, some Sedum in background...
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 07/21/2011 - 12:08pmVery nice trough photo, Rick.
Cohan, you have a very nice tapestry of colours going there too.
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 07/21/2011 - 8:52pmYou've got a lot of flowering going on this year, Cohan! I also find the cobweb type hen and chicks to be variable, depending on the time of year and care. If you notice, even though my April pic of S. arachnoideum 'Minus' and the blooming shot are different plants, the habits are typical for the time of season here.
Speaking of tapestry, here's some nice "quilt work" from early May. You can easily pick out the two Sempervivum octopodes.
And a nice form of Sempervivum calcareum
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Fri, 07/22/2011 - 11:59amThanks, Lori-- they are a lot of fun, and don't mind this cold wet year at all :) Really need to get some division going in that crowded pot, though-- a couple small ones are disappearing!
Rick, I'm planning to put most of mine in the ground, but there's something about semps that look great in pots, so I think I will always keep some that way for fun, even though its a hassle with needing to be sunk for winter.. Nice calcareum! Def lots of flowering this year.. probably just old enough for those grown from small offsets in 2009 (just a couple of those flowered last year) and the arach tomentosum from local purchase seems to flower yearly, though we'll see what it does after so many stems this year...
Overall, they seem to enjoy the cool wet weather we've mostly had last couple of years, though I have one or two-- S altum notably, that don't seem to be thriving, and I wonder if they'd like to be drier/hotter--may try one in a small extra gritty pot...
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 07/28/2011 - 8:45pmThis was said to be Sempervivum 'Excalibur'... it seems to fit the description below with respect to the offsets being on long stolons, at any rate (though not the colour description):
http://stalikez.info/fsm/semp/site/dwnld/ssj/ssj6_2.pdf
Sempervivum thompsonianum:
Sempervivum 'Zulu':
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Thu, 07/28/2011 - 11:33pmYou have some nice collection of semps, all of you! When I started collecting semps, the first was Sempervivum tectorum which my grandma grew on the roof of the "jordkjeller" (= a small storehouse for vegetables, potatoes etc built into the ground and with soil on the roof). I didn't know that many species existed!
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Fri, 07/29/2011 - 9:34pmSo are those offsets from your garden potted up for your NARGS chapter sales or... ?
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 07/30/2011 - 12:55amYes, they were for the Chapter sale in early June. And then I accidentally left that whole flat at home the day of the sale! But it really wasn't missed. My pick up was filled with plants bound for the sale anyway.
Is there anything of particular note with S. thompsonianum?
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 07/30/2011 - 9:15amWell, I think it's interesting due to the hairy tufts at the ends of the leaves, but it's all in the eye of the beholder.
Here's a report on it in habitat:
http://stalikez.info/fsm/semp/site/stogo_gb.php?lg=fr&clc=121&zc=Ae1f1aD...
Looking at photos, I'm not sure my plant even is this species now, though I thought I had pinned it down once previously.
Here are the flowers, which don't seem to fit that description:
http://nargs.org/nargswiki/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=20&offset=16
Any thoughts on what it might be?
Lori S. (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 07/30/2011 - 9:18amYes, I thought so. It was either that or new acquisitions.... lots of semps either way!
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 08/30/2011 - 6:50pmSempervivum is one of several large and highly variable succulent/cactus genera that I don't really attempt to identify if they don't come with a solid id (apart from a few really distinct species)--so many species/varieties and hybrids!.. nice plant, anyway!
Mark McDonough
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 11/27/2011 - 8:02amRecently came across the fantastic Kallima Garden web site. For semp fans, there an extensive listing (with excellent photographs) of 145 Semepvivum taxon and over 500 colorful cultivars. There are alpine pics here too. On the web page sidebar navigation, the semps are listed under "Rocky Roses", I assume a translation thingy. I just lost 2 hours on this site :o Enjoy.
http://kallima.sk/ekatalog.php?menuID=enk_semp&page=eabc_2.php&dbID=semp...
John P. Weiser
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 11/27/2011 - 9:11amThat is a good one indeed! Looks like I'm not getting anymore done today, Thanks! ;)
Mark McDonough
Re: Sempervivum
Sun, 11/27/2011 - 9:45amI particularly liked viewing the many forms of semp species, each collected from different locales... shows the species variability.
Here's another Semp information resource:
http://www.semperhorst.de/Inhaltsverzeichnis%20der%20HP/Inhaltsverzeichn...
Mark McDonough
Re: Sempervivum
Sat, 02/25/2012 - 8:10amCruising around the internet looking at plant nurseries, I was surprised to see just how good the Sempervivum listing is at Edelweiss Perennials in Oregon. Since they maintain their connections to Europe and import plants from Europe, they have a number of unique and beautiful semps that are not typically available in the US.
Start here, there is 5 pages of semp species and cultivars:
http://www.edelweissperennials.com/PlantGroup.aspx?plant=Sempervivum
Note: at least with the browser I'm using (Internet Explorer 9.0), and the javascript used on the pages, the links often don't work, and I would need to let it "time out", use the back button, and then try each link a second time, where it usually worked. Have patience on the site, it is worth getting the pages to eventually load.
On their home page, at a glance you can shop by a number of specialty plant groups, their Epimedium listing is quite good too, among the lowest prices I'v seen for some "eppies".
http://www.edelweissperennials.com/index.aspx
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 04/03/2012 - 11:05amAs I've mentioned on a couple of other threads, though we've had a very mild winter by our standards, we've still had snow on the ground since early Nov, and in spite of a lot of weather from just above freezing to over 10C/50F, and lots of melting, there is still a lot of snow to go, and several of my beds are still partly to entirely covered..
So, its exciting to simply see plants emerging from the snow, nevermind growing or flowering! And Sempervivum/Jovibarba are good for this- they look interesting as soon as you can see them!
Last fall I made a new semp bed in front of the house, this one is nearly all plants received as 'lost label', so no names, but lots of colour; I'll be doing another bed somewhere else for named species..
I showed a few here already:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=934.msg16138#msg16138
Some more, first from March 28, a partial overview; lots of debris on this bed- leaves and spruce needles blow to every part of our property, even far from the trees, and the dried grass and wood bits are there because this is in front of the house and got snow shovelled onto it all winter (wood from our constant firewood parade)..
Sempervivum ciliosum; this is in a large pot appended to the new bed.. The Veronica repens is impressive- bright green straight out of almost 4 months of snow cover.. it needs to be continually kept in check, but nice texture addition...
Then some shots from Apr 01
Trond Hoy
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 04/03/2012 - 2:21pmNice to see your plants emerge from the cover of snow, Cohan!
Richard T. Rodich
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 04/03/2012 - 6:01pmComing along nicely, Cohan. I just love that special form of Jovibarba allionii!
Mine is just green. I'm a lot farther along than you, and even more so in pots. Here it is with Orostachys aggregatum on the right. The orostachys has really jumped. It is completely deciduous (at least for me), so it is all new growth.
Sempervivum 'Robin' and a trough
cohan (not verified)
Re: Sempervivum
Tue, 04/03/2012 - 10:57pmThanks, Trond- though some of my other beds are still under a foot or two of snow (driveway piles are still 2-4 feet, and there are some beds under those too) and we are under a winter storm warning for tomorrow- a couple cm in the afternoon possibly and another 15cm tomorrow night, with flurries or showers on thursday... we'll see what all that actually amounts to (some areas could see 20-30cm)
At the foot of that semp bed are some bulbs- crocus and galanthus just planted last fall- still no sign of emergence, though the snow only melted a short time ago at the bottom (and would still be there if I hadn't done some shovelling so it wouldn't stay waterlogged too long!) and the ground would still have been frozen solid when the snow melted (may still be!)
Rick- yes, much farther along! I do have a plant that has very similar colouring and texture to Robin, received as lost-label, but mine never opens up that much- a common theme in my climate, however! This is one effect of my nearly alpine climate I don't mind- the Semps tend to grow small and tight, though some are brave enough to open up in summer..
Are those Escobaria vivipara in the trough?
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