Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Oddity') in the Sempervivum Database

Data specific to Sempervivum (Edit)
Hybrid:	Yes
Hybridizer:	Sandy MacPherson
Country of Origin:	(US) United States
Year of registration:	1972
Other Details:	An unusual mutation of Sempervivum x comollii (x albidum), it can produce normal offsets from the mutated rosette.
Awards:	BR* = Bronze Rosette: 1978
Size:	Small 1/2" to 2 1/2" Medium 2 1/2" to 4"
Soil type:	Dry Well draining Loamy / Medium Sandy / light Other: The soil type will depend on what your weather conditions are like. Just make sure it drains well.
Foliage:	Winter Color
Water:	Very low Average Does not like wet feet
Uses:	Accent Containers Edging
Pests and Diseases:	Pest resistant
Availability:	Easy to find

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Leaves:	Evergreen Other: The leaf base is rotated forming tubes.
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Pink
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall Fall Other: It may be several years before it blooms
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Provides winter interest Groundcover Suitable for miniature gardens
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies
Resistances:	Deer Resistant
Propagation: Seeds:	Provide light Stratify seeds: Stratifying seeds may improve germination, but is not required Suitable for wintersowing Sow in situ Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods:	Offsets
Containers:	Suitable in 1 gallon Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous:	Monocarpic

Common names

Hen and Chicks
Houseleek
Live-Forever

'Oddity' was a featured
Plant of the Day for August 28, 2015.

Photo Gallery

Location: RHS Harlow Carr alpine house, Yorkshire
Date: 2019-06-30

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by jojoe

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-08-12

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Date: 2015-05-05

Uploaded by Patty

Uploaded by gg5

9/16/2010 PNW zone 8 after a long drought

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by CatKitty

Uploaded by LAGardengirl

Uploaded by laszloszakszon

Uploaded by LuvNature

Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Date: 2022-09-23

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: My garden, zone 4 Wisconsin
Date: 2015-05-18

Uploaded by goldfinch4

Location: In my garden - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2014-03-31
A new semp in my collection - Sempervivum 'Oddity'

Uploaded by tarev

Location: my garden, Arvada, Colorado
Date: 2010-05-17

Uploaded by tabby

Uploaded by MaryDurtschi

Location: Fairfax, Virginia (May 2022)
Date: 2022-05-08

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-05-30

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: My garden - Arvada, Colorado zone 5
Date: 2010-09-22

Uploaded by tabby

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-07-06
Bloom stalks

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: May 27, 2013
A normal, flat leafed rosette reverting to the tube like leaves o

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by gg5

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by goldfinch4

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Fairfax, VA | July, 2022
Date: 2022-07-02
Recovering from rot which it arrived with (on cleraance)

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by twitcher

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: May 23, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Jul 29, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2020-05-30

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Pacific Northwest zone 8
Date: Sep 11, 2010
Sold as Sempervivum calcareum 'Monstrosum'

Uploaded by valleylynn

Photo Courtesy of Mountain Crest Gardens. Used with Permission.

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Willamette Valley Oregon
Date: 2014-03-09

Uploaded by Patty

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-07-06
Showing emerging bloom stalks.

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-08-12
Most of the blooms would not open, so not sure if any seed will b

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-08-12
Does not look like pollen is present on these blooms.

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2014-06-20

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2021-05-23

Uploaded by Macrocentra

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by LuvNature

Uploaded by LuvNature

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by kylaluaz

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Location: Western Washington
Date: 2015-03-14

Uploaded by springcolor

Uploaded by Chromaphyto

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: May 21, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by sandnsea2

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Location: my garden zone 7b NC, USA
Date: 2013-06-24

Uploaded by sandnsea2

Location: Doddridge Co. WV Zone 6a
Date: June 27, 2015

Uploaded by TerriStanley

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest zone 8
Date: Jul 1, 2011

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: May 12, 2011 1:53 PM
young plants

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: Lincoln NE zone 5
Date: 2015-08-12

Uploaded by stilldew

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Jun 29, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: RHS Harlow Carr alpine house, Yorkshire
Date: 2017-05-09

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by ljones26

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Jun 2, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Location: Doddridge Co. WV Zone 6a
Date: 5-16

Uploaded by TerriStanley

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: my garden zone 7b NC
Date: 2012-06-24

Uploaded by sandnsea2

Location: Dayton,KY
Date: 5/12/13
Elongated so moved to brighter light

Uploaded by Lilydaydreamer

Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Date: 2022-09-11

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Lincoln NE zone 5
Date: 2017-05-27

Uploaded by stilldew

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by valleylynn (Oregon City, OR - Zone 8b) on Sep 11, 2014 12:06 PM concerning plant:

Oddity would make a great addition to a miniature garden, by using a single rosette as maybe a shrub? Let your imagination decide how you might use it in your miniature garden.

Reply to this comment
Posted by goldfinch4 (Ripon, Wisconsin) on Sep 2, 2015 4:56 AM concerning plant:

I find 'Oddity' to be quite temperamental when planted in the ground in our zone 4 climate. It tends to rot in the spring from too much moisture when the snow melts. I built a bit of a mound for it this summer with lots of grit incorporated into the soil. We'll see if that helps.

Reply to this comment
Posted by valleylynn (Oregon City, OR - Zone 8b) on May 29, 2013 10:16 AM concerning plant:

In the many years I've had Oddity, it has never bloomed. Many times it has produced normal looking, flat-leafed rosettes that seem to grow in a normal fashion for about a year. Then the leaves turn into the tube form of oddity.

2 replies

Plant Events from our members
wilmarosebud	On August 24, 2018	Obtained plant August 24, 2018: Obtained plant (Received plant from Mountain Crest Gardens)
RoseA32	On March 19, 2020	Obtained plant Lynn
MrsBinWY	On October 26, 2019	Obtained plant planted rosette along edge of stream between Acinos alpinus & Heuchera

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Leaves by valleylynn	Oct 28, 2011 10:07 PM	2
The reverted chick by tabby	Oct 30, 2011 3:22 PM	1
wow!!!! by springcolor	Sep 10, 2013 9:38 PM	3

« Add a new plant to the database

» Search the Sempervivum Database: by characteristics or by cultivar name

« See the general plant entry for Sempervivum

« Visit the Sempervivum forum

« The Sempervivum Database Front Page

« The Plants Database Front Page

Sempervivum Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Oddity')

Sempervivum

Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Oddity')