Okay all of you Sempervivum Sleuths, please take a look at the entry for S. 'Elene' by Helen Payne. It might be that we have at least two different plants showing in this entry.
@JungleShadows do you know this semp?
Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Elene')

Lynn,

The ones by banker look correct but the other ones do not. It is certainly neither purple nor a red/ green bicolor. the leaves are longish and have fine cilia along the leaf edge that sort of give it a silvered look. There is an excellent photo in Helen's book. I wonder if SMG has the real thing as they got their plants from Helen.

Kevin

Thank you Kevin. I will contact Don and see if he has 'Elene'.
Looking at Helen's book, her photo of 'Elene' looks very much like goldfinch4's photos. The book does show that it is bi-colored. Here written description stated that is is well flushed with rose and has purple tips.
Comparing Peter's photos with the one in Helen's book I do not see a match.

This is what I found at SMG.
http://www.smgsucculents.com/S...

I remember it as being a duller green and certainly NOT a strong red / green bicolor, more a BLUSH of pink. Don's example is closer and the form is correct too, wide open and with narrow leaves. The leaf edges have cilia that give it a sort of frosted effect. The leaves are tipped dark purple. Peter's pictures are more what the plant looks like in summer, sort of dull with purple tips.

Elene was a seedling that occurred in a bunch of plants that Helen had received from Sandy MacPherson. Being the ever frugal one, she separated out all the seedlings and planted them out to see what they might produce. All of Helen's introductions were from those stray seedlings!

Kevin

Yes, I got an email this morning from Don with two photos in different seasons. I will add them to the database and we can go from there on sorting things out. His photos and descriptions match what Helen Payne has in her book.

I may have to get this one from Don to grow out through all the seasons. I have added three photos courtesy of Don Mylin (SMG Succulents).

Well i'm glad Don has the real McCoy. it is a nice semp and one that Helen obviously liked as she named it for herself, albeit disguising the name some.

Kevin

This is my Elene





Has the long leaves but not the correct coloring. These have been in drought conditions so will keep an eye on it. This crazy hot summer may show different coloring than normal?.
Not sure where it came from, an early purchase from years ago.

Thank you Julia. It looks like it has the written description attributes in the spring only.

The purple tips SHOULD be year round. That's why i have some problems with some of these Elene want-to-be's!

Kevin

You are probably correct Kevin.

I always use the leaf tip coloration when I have a suspect rosette in a clump as it is more persistent than anything else color wise.

Am so glad the temperatures are coming down next week. this is like MS! I had company from LA and they were shocked with this weather too.

STAY COOL.

Kevin

Thank you Kevin.
We have been going out early in the morning and working until until about 10:00 a.m. We are fortunate that our night temps are going down into the 50's, so it is gloriously cool in the mornings.