Today's Hen and Chicks of the Day is Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Grunrand') .

This sempervivum has a beautiful waterlily form that is very pleasing to my eye. The downside is that it produces very few offsets, may 3 or for per year. The color changes throughout the year are lovely making it worth the trouble of growing it.

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Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Grunrand')

My Grunrand(s) were given to me by Valleylynn. I gave one to Springcolor and have one left. When I rec'd mine from Lynn a year ago, it was of the red color pictured in the photo on the right. Since then it has been mostly the color of the Grunrand pictured in the left side photo.

I don't think the difference in coloring takes away from the beauty of the semp as I've always liked the lotus-like shape of the rosette. I believe Lynn favors that shape too!

I agree Bev, it is the lotus shape that draws me to it. It is so pleasing to me.

I still have my offset. I'll get a picture in the morning.

Looking forward to the photo Julia.

That one is a beauty Lynn! I got one from you this spring and just got it in the ground about a month ago. Doing well so far!

Glad to hear it's doing well Chris. It puts out so few offsets that I worry about it disappearing from collections. Chris Hansen is working on upping the offset count chemically so there are more to go around. Haven't heard how that is doing.

Interesting.... Do you know what he's using?

I think it is Configure, the stuff Clint Brown uses with great success on his Echinacea.

Yes, that's right we had a discussion about this during the clinic but not sure of the quantity of configure to water. Remember he said (Chris Hansen) that chicks where having chicks in the growing area.

I never heard of this stuff before but it sure sounds interesting. http://www.fine-americas.com/p...

Chris said the mix rate was way to low. I sent 'Grunrand' home with him this spring to see what it would do for this semp.

Paddy I know you have to be careful when using it.

OK, I remember Cliff's experiments with that.

It didn't work for me, but Chris Hansen said the mix was wrong, it needed to be stronger. And timing is another thing that is crucial to success.

Yes I think it should be applied in spring as the plant is beginning to come out of dormancy!