In addition to propagating by digging up the offset chicks, you can also grow hens and chicks from the seeds that are produced if a mature plant produces flowers. Collect the seeds from the pods left behind after the flowers fade, and sprinkle them on top of pots filled with cactus/succulent potting mix. Lightly moisten the mix and place the pot in a bright location; the seeds should sprout within three weeks. At that point, you can add some fine gravel and mulch. However, seeds from hybrid plants may not produce plants that are true to the parents.
Potting and Repotting Hens and Chicks
This plant makes a good potted specimen when planted in a shallow, well-drained container filled with a cactus/succulent potting mix. Use a clay pot, which will wick moisture to prevent overwatering. Hens and chicks can be grown alone as a small cluster colony, or in a large container as one plant in a mixed group of succulents or miniature rock garden.
Overwintering
Hens and chicks don't require winter cold protection, but they resent wet winter conditions, so it's best to clean away ground debris to keep collected moisture from introducing rot. Outdoor potted plants are subject to temperature extremes in cold winter zones, so place them in a sheltered location, or bring them indoors for the winter.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Hens and chicks that are grown indoors, in a greenhouse, or in overly-moist conditions tend to have the biggest issue with pests, most often in the form of mealy bugs and aphids. If you notice signs of an infestation, try to remove the bugs using a cotton swap or cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. You can also treat the plants with neem oil or insecticidal soap.
Moist conditions or poor drainage can encourage a variety of fungal leaf spots or root rot. Keeping these plants in dry conditions is the best way to forestall these issues.
How to Get Hens and Chicks to Bloom
These plants are grown for their foliage and geometric growth habit, so flowering is not necessarily desirable. These are plants that usually propagate themselves vegetatively, not through seeds, so flowering can even be be a sign of poor conditions.2 Should you want the plant to flower (such as if you want to experiment with seed propagation), you can deliberately stress the plant by shading it.
Common Problems With Hens and Chicks
In ideal conditions, hens and chicks is a pretty carefree plant. When problems occur, it's often because the plant is getting too much water.
Plant Turns Mushy
When the leaves turn soft and begin to wilt, it is usually because overly wet conditions are causing the plant to rot. The roots may already be rotting, so the best solution is to dig up the plant, split off any of the "chick" rosettes that are still intact, and discard the bad sections. If this is a regular occurrence, it indicates your soil needs to have improved drainage by amending it with sand or gravel.
Rosettes Die Back
It is natural for a "hen" rosette to die back after it produces flowers and sets seed. Paradoxically, this plant is more likely to flower and subsequently die if it is getting too much water or too much fertilizer.
- How can I use hens and chicks in the landsdcape?
As a drought-tolerant succulent, hens and chicks is one of the better perennials for rock-gardens—they also grow well in cracks, whether in stone walls or between garden stepping stones.
If you're looking for a ground cover, you can replace your lawn with a combination of hens and chicks plus creeping sedum. Hens and chicks also makes a good potted plant, both outdoors and indoors.
- How long does this plant live?
These plants are known as monocarpic plants. The individual rosettes die out soon after they send up flower shoots. But flowering doesn't always occur, and even when some rosettes die out, the offshoot "chicks" will continue the colony. An established colony will live for decades with this constant replacement of rosettes.
- Are there other Sempervivum species I should consider?
There are more than 40 species in the Sempervivum genus, and several are popular garden and houseplant species. In addition to S. tectorum, you can look for Sempervivum arachnoideum (cobweb house leek), Sempervivum calcareum, and Sempervivum ciliosum (Teneriffe houseleek). All species have the characteristic rosette shape.
- Where did the name "house leek" come from?
The common name "houseleek" comes from an Anglo Saxon word “leac,” meaning plant. These plants are literally known to grow on houses, especially those with slate or stone shingles. In fact, they were sometimes deliberately planted on roofs in order to hold roof shingles in place.
- Is this plant edible?
The leaves of hens and chicks are completely edible and can be used in salads and other dishes. The taste is slightly sour, like an unripe apple.
