'Commander Hay' Hens & Chicks
Perennial
DISCONTINUED
- We no longer offer this product. Create a similar look with our other Succulents!
- Big rosettes of foliage create a bold display.
- Great for small spaces and containers!
- Zones 4-9, sun, 3" tall x 6" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Common name: Hens and chicks, Houseleek
Zone: 4-9
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ Hours)
Height x width: 2-3" x 4-6"
Flower color: Pink
Foliage color: Green, Red rings
Season of Interest: Year-Long
Uses: Alpine & rock, Container gardening, Edging, Ground cover, Rock garden, Small spaces, Under planting.
How to Grow
Light: Full sun - at least 6 hours/day - is recommended. Very light shade may be okay in hot climates.
Water: Immediately after transplanting, water generously. After that, let the soil dry out between watering. Once established, sempervivum is very drought tolerant, requiring little to no supplemental watering.
Spacing: 6" - 12" to start - plants will soon fill in and knit together.
Fertilizing: None needed.
Winterizing: No special care needed.
Maintenance & Pruning: Once a hen plant produces a chick, that chick will begin creating its own chicks the following year. Large hen plants eventually grow a tall flower stalk and die after blooming. However, this is no cause for concern as by the time it does this, it will have left behind a large colony of chicks to take its place. Cutting off the center, stalk will not prevent the plant from dying. Chicks can be left in place or plucked out and relocated to expand your display.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.