Is this normal for sempervivum??

Melanie Hinman
by Melanie Hinman
I planted these hardy chicks & hens last summer in a flowerbed that was somewhat neglected this year until this weekend when I finally got to weeding it out. I was shocked to see what had happened, as I've never known sempervivum to grow vertically (though I have little experience with them)!
  7 answers
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jul 01, 2014
    It looks like your hen and chicks are putting up flower spikes. This signals the end of that particular plant, but it will live on in in its offsets.
  • Bev Deardurff Bev Deardurff on Jul 01, 2014
    I call that part of the plant the rooster because I thought they were the " male " ( phallic symbol ) plant of the hens and chicks. The hens and chicks were the female part of the plant.
  • Melanie Hinman Melanie Hinman on Jul 02, 2014
    Yup - after more googling, think they are going to flower! I will post pics when they do!
  • I find this flowering stage very interesting. I know others who don't like it, not sure why:)
  • Tammy Horner Tammy Horner on Jul 02, 2014
    my mom and grandmother always called them roosters :)
  • Rita Wozniak Rita Wozniak on Jul 02, 2014
    Where it touches the ground it will re grow.. again.. HEN n Chicks.
  • Melanie Hinman Melanie Hinman on Jul 08, 2014
    Aren't they only supposed to flower after a few years (then die)? I just planted these last spring...and it seems that all the original "hens" will be blooming. There are several "chick" castoffs, enough to maintain survival for sure...but still curious about these guys! I remember my mom having some in her garden for years, and I never saw them bloom!