How to Grow Sempervivum (Crassulaceae)? Latest Care Guide in Detail

Sempervivum, in the Crassulaceae family, is also known as hen and chicks, Guanyin rosette, Buddha rosette, and so on. It originates from the mountainous regions of Spain, France, Italy, and other European countries. True to its name, its leaves grow in a rosette-like ring, with a form resembling a lotus seat, giving it high ornamental value. Let us take a look together below at how to grow Sempervivum in the Crassulaceae family!

Propagation Methods for Sempervivum in the Crassulaceae Family

1. Cuttings: Sempervivum is generally propagated by taking cuttings from small offsets, which can be done in sandy soil. After insertion, keep it slightly moist. After 2 to 3 weeks, once roots have formed under the small leaf rosette, pot it up directly.

2. Sowing: Sow at around 20 degrees C, and germination occurs in about 10 to 15 days. Although the seedlings grow slowly, a large number of seedlings can be obtained at once.

3. Leaf cuttings: The survival rate of leaf cuttings is low, so it is rarely used, but if the leaves have already partially turned to water, you can still give it a try.

4. Tissue culture: For a high-tech method like tissue culturing Sempervivum in the Crassulaceae family, those with the conditions and interest can give it a try.

How to Grow Sempervivum in the Crassulaceae Family

1. Soil: The soil in the pot should be fertile, loose, breathable, and well-draining. It is best to use half leaf mold, peat, coarse sand, or vermiculite, with a small amount of bone meal or other calcareous material mixed in, blended evenly. After newly planting, water as little as possible and keep it semi-dry to help the root system recover.

2. Temperature: Sempervivum likes a semi-shaded, warm environment. For everyday growth, around 25 degrees C is suitable. In winter, above 15 degrees C during the day is enough, and the nighttime temperature should not be lower than 5 degrees C. The plant can continue to grow, be watered normally, and be fertilized appropriately. If watering is controlled to make the plant go dormant, it can also tolerate low temperatures of 0 degrees C. Hen and chicks is not heat-tolerant. After May, the plant's growth gradually stops and it enters a summer dormancy period. At home, it can be placed under a corridor or on the inner side of a balcony, in a spot without direct sunlight, with good ventilation and no rain exposure, and watering should be controlled and fertilizing stopped, to avoid the plant rotting due to stuffiness, humidity, and waterlogged soil.

3. Light: During high summer temperatures and cold winter temperatures, the plant is in a dormant state. Its main growing period is in the cooler spring and autumn seasons. During the growing period, it requires ample sunlight. If light is insufficient, the plant's shape becomes loose and not compact, affecting its ornamental value, while plants grown in a spot with ample light have thick, plump leaves, a compact shape, and beautiful leaf color.

4. Watering: Watering should follow the principle of “do not water until dry, and water thoroughly when you do.” Avoid waterlogging, which rots the roots, but do not let it get too dry either, otherwise the plant grows slowly, turns yellow, and may even die. In summer, the plant evaporates heavily, so attention should be paid to watering more. If the leaf surface lacks water, it will look withered, so the leaves should be sprayed with water frequently to keep them moist, but waterlogging in the pot must be avoided, otherwise it will cause root rot.

5. Fertilizing: Fertilizing is mainly with rotted, diluted liquid fertilizer or a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus-and-potassium compound fertilizer, applied once every 20 days. Fertilizing is generally done on a clear morning or evening. Do not splash the fertilizer liquid onto the leaves. On the evening of the same day or the morning of the next day, water thoroughly once to dilute the fertilizer liquid remaining in the soil. In winter, place it indoors in a spot with ample sunlight. If the nighttime minimum temperature is around 10 degrees C and there is a certain day-night temperature difference, you can water appropriately and fertilize as needed to keep the plant growing. If such a high temperature cannot be maintained, watering should be controlled, the potting soil kept dry, and fertilizing stopped, so that the plant goes dormant; it can also tolerate low temperatures of 5 degrees C, and some varieties can even tolerate low temperatures of 0 degrees C.

6. Propagation: Sempervivum propagation includes the cutting method, carried out in sandy soil. After insertion, keep it slightly moist. After 2 to 3 weeks, once roots have formed under the small leaf rosette, pot it up directly. Leaf cuttings have a low survival rate, so they are rarely used. The second method is sowing. At around 20 degrees C, germination occurs in 10 to 15 days. Although the seedlings grow slowly, a large number of seedlings can be obtained at once.

7. Repotting: It is best to repot once a year, in spring and autumn. Also take the opportunity when repotting to trim the root system and remove dead and old roots. The soil in the pot should be loose, breathable, and fertile. Still use half leaf mold or peat soil, and half coarse sand or vermiculite, and mix in a small amount of bone meal or other calcareous material, blending evenly before use. Since the soil is moist, newly planted plants do not need much water; keep it semi-dry to help the root system recover.

Precautions for Growing Sempervivum in the Crassulaceae Family

1. When growing Sempervivum, watering should follow “do not water until dry, and water thoroughly when you do.” Watering should be moderate, avoid long-term waterlogging that causes root rot, and also prevent excessive drought caused by not watering for a long time.

2. During high summer temperatures, spray water on the leaf surface frequently, and at the same time keep the environment moist.

3. Newly planted plants do not need much water; keep them semi-dry, which helps the root system recover.

4. Sempervivum will bloom, with leaves growing in a rosette shape, long elliptical obovate, with a sharp apex. Cyme inflorescence; small flowers are pale rose-red, follicles, flowering period June to July.