Sempervivum heuffelii

APPEARANCE

• Colors: Heuffelii come in a rainbow of colors including bright reds, purples, blue-greens, and oranges. They are unique from most other Sempervivum in their ability to hold vivid colors through both the growing season and the winter.
• Form: Heuffelii grow as round clusters of rosettes by producing new offsets between leaves of the mother plants.
• Foliage: Often the leaves are lined with fine, hair-like cilia that outline the rosette and make it appear to glow.
• Flowers: After a number of years a rosette will produce a bloom stalk up to 8” tall topped with small yellow flowers. Once it goes to seed, that rosette will die, but the surrounding cluster will quickly fill its spot.

CARE

• Light: Heuffelii grow and display their best colors in full or filtered sun. They also grow well in partial sun and in especially hot, dry conditions, bright shade in the afternoon is ideal. To grow them indoors, place them near a sunny window.
• Soil: It’s important to use a sandy, well-draining soil like cacti/succulent potting mix to support healthy root development and prevent rot. They do not require fertilizer, but gardeners hoping to speed up growth can apply a slow-release fertilizer in spring and summer.
• Water: Heuffelii thrive with deep, but infrequent water so that the soil has time to fully dry out. Frequency will vary based on conditions, so observe the plants and soil for signs of over- or under-watering. Start with about 2-3 times a week to establish young plants, 1-2 times a week for mature plants in the growing season, 1-2 times a month in the winter, and no water if the temperature is below freezing. For container plantings, we recommend using pots with drainage holes. More info.
• Hardiness: Just about every climate in the US can support Heuffelii as they are frost hardy down to -30F (zone 4). They overwinter well under a blanket of snow and containers can be brought under shelter to prevent standing water and rot. More info.
• Propagation: If you’re interested in multiplying your Heuffelii stock, you can manually divide the rosettes with a sharp, clean knife, ensuring that each cutting has a portion of root. Let the cuttings dry in the shade for several days and transplant into well-draining soil. Click here for a full visual guide.

NOTES FROM THE NURSERY

Heuffelii are an exceptional group of Sempervivum (previously Jovibarba) because they are more resilient to environmental changes and keep radiant colors all year long. Focus on giving them well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight, but even stressed plants are forgiving and easy to revive. Heuffelii can be difficult to come by, so these vibrant clusters make unique accents in the garden.

For more information, check out this excellent book by hybridizer Kevin Vaughn: Sempervivum: A Gardener’s Perspective on the Not-So-Humble Hens-and-Chicks. Or dive into the scientific research on S. heuffelii in the wild with "The nature of the variability of the morphological characteristics of the taxon Jovibarba heuffelii (Schott) A. Löve & D. Löve (Crassulaceae) in Serbia" (Dimitrijević et al, 2011).