So many species and varieties; so little garden room…

Growing these hardy succulents in garden beds, xeric garden display gardens, in rock walls or succulent crafts gives so much pleasure.

sempervivum-round600

I can happily gaze on them for ages, remarking on their forms and colors – all different from each other, and all unique.

There are fuzzy, tiny species like some of the arachnoideum, the cobwebs; richly colored tectorum, dark tipped calcereum, and they all reproduce in a unique fashion; some have long stolons, parking the chicks well away from the hens skirts.

Others have a chick below every layer of leaves, tightly clustered and eventually forming a compact carpet.

The colors change frequently; that’s what makes these plants so fascinating.

Each week it seems they will alter their hue, or the center of the rosette will become darker. I can verify that they do indeed change – it’s not a myth.

In this Sempervivum Picture Gallery, the varieties and species listed from E to L in the alphabet show off their lovely shapes, shades and textures.

Mouse over them to see the names.

Don’t miss the other three pages linked at the bottom of the page.

E-blank
Sept132011Emerald-Giant
Emerald Giant
Sept132011Eminent
Eminent
Sept132011Exorna
Exorna
F-blank
tApril192012Fannalee
Fannalee
thumb-coming-soon
Famke
Sept132011Flanders-Passion
Flanders Passion
Sept132011Fords-Shadow
Ford’s Shadow
Sept132011Fredeger
Fredeger
Sept132011Frost-and-Flame
Frost and Flame
Sept132011Fuzzy-Wuzzy
Fuzzy Wuzzy
G-blank
Sept132011Gamma
Gamma
Sept132011Georgette-Bron
Georgette
Sept132011Ginnies-Delight
Ginnies Delight
Sept132011Granada
Granada
Sept132011Granat
Granat
Sept132011Greyfriars
Greyfriars
tAug162012Grey-Lady
Grey Lady
Sept132011Gypsy
Gypsy
H-blank
Sept132011Hey-Hey
Hey Hey
K-blank
Sept132011Kalinda
Kalinda
tAug62012Koko-Flanel
Koko Flanel
L-blank
Sept132011Legolas
Legolas
Sept132011Lentezon
Lentezon
Sept132011Little-Bobo
Little Bobo

If you have Sempervivum in your xeric garden, you’ll already be aware of how they change throughout the growing season, adding even more interest than their textures and forms.

Cooler nights or warmer days can trigger these amazing transformations, sometimes even the same plant can look completely different in a matter of days. See this first hand – the photographs are arranged with the same Sempervivum variety in two different seasons shown vertically. Are you as enthralled as I am with their dramatic changes?

Sempervivum Georgette Bron in August
Hover your mouse over the photos to get a better view

Sempervivum Georgette Bron in August Sempervivum Eminent in July Sempervivum Gypsy in September Sempervivum Granada in September
Sempervivum Georgette Bron in May Sempervivum Eminent in September Sempervivum Gypsy in July Sempervivum Granada in May