As I discover and become familiar with semp cultivars, I thought it might be worthwhile pointing out those that seem particularly good, at least here in New England. Here's a new one I received spring 2019, Sempervivum 'Jet', it has stunning color, some of which the camera does not pick up, there's some lavender at the base of these striking rosettes.

Hybridizer: David Ford, 1983

Nice! It's one I'm not familiar with. Great idea for a new thread, Mark.

A new cultivar for me this year is 'Starshine' ordered from Mountain Crest Gardens, April 2019. Upon receipt it was replanted in a much larger pot where it has grown with surprising speed, and apparently enjoying all the heat and sunshine, taking on gorgeous melon orange tones. Only the single rosette was sent, hoping that it chicks before it might eventually flower.

Hybridizer: Ed Skrocki, 1980.

Both are very nice. I love the gold tones that some of the semps have.
I need to go out in the morning and see what my 'Jet' looks like now.

My first entry into this topic was Sempervivum 'Jet', but it was looking so dapper in the rain today I took this photo with a compatible little friend 'Hot Cocoa', one that I fell in love with at first sight (a photo by Tim Stoehr). This photo is to show the size difference; I'm a fan of small to medium semps but the big ones are starting to grow on me!

Very pretty combo Mark. Still just love that 'Jet'.

Mark, I have Starshine and it does very well for me.

Lynn, in my Plant Combination photo of Jet, you can see two chicks peaking out, but under those large colorful leaves are numerous chicks which I shall harvest later this week

Melissa, how prolific is Starshine with chicks? I always worry when MCG sends out a single rosette of a cultivar without any chicks, had to wait a whole year for a single rosette of Montage to finally produce chicks.

By the way Melissa, the 'Hopewell' plants you sent me were stunning this spring, had no idea they turn such a rich shiny red color, here it is on June 10, 2019:

Wow Mark! That Hopewell looks awesome. Beautiful color.

My Star Shine came from Perennial Obsessions and right now I would say it has 30+ chicks on it.

Mark, in the spring 'Hopewell' has coloring that looks iridescent. It is an amazing semp.

I'll try to remember to take a look at my 'Starshine' to see what the offset production looks like.

I really like that watermark on jet. Does it stick around a while before turning a solid color?

ediblelandscapingsc said:I really like that watermark on jet. Does it stick around a while before turning a solid color?

Daniel, I'm not sure, 'Jet' is new to my collection this spring, so I'm watching this beauty, and taking photos at certain times of the year to chronicle the color and shape shifts.

While new to my collection (April 2019) from MCG, this one is love at first sight. It too came as a single rosette without chicks, I will try to remain patient to wait for babies. I rechecked my 'Starshine' (shown above), and I have spotted the formation of two small chicks, hurrah.

Hybridizer: Betty Bronow, 1976

Boromir almost looks perfect in that light.

Boromir is a good one and increases quickly in my area. Glad to hear you got one

Looking through my potted semps on a hot day, I arranged some favorites that are showing good coloration here in midsummer. Made this plant combination, for the two pots in the middle (with deep purple centers) without a tag because possibly it's not in semp database yet, it is 'Zundflamme'. The amazing flat all green rosettes arrived in an order just a few days ago, it is 'Froschkonig', has very thick rounded leaves and chubby chicks on thick stolons.



Semp 'Froschkonig', new arrival from mail order.

I love all of your beautifully colored Semps, Mark. They make a wonderful plant combination photo.

Mark,

I agree with your opinions on 'Frosch Konig' (Frog King, I think in German). The name is appropriate too, sort of that same color of tree frogs in the South.

It's a very neat clumper and even the blooms are attractive and on not-too-talk stalks. This year I have it crossed to bigger silvers and blues as I'd like a bigger version. Its pollen was a little scant but I'm hoping it will set good seed to other pollen.

Another one of Erwin's greens that I like a lot is 'Waldmeister'. Very neatly formed darker green. Have quite a few seedlings from it so it is quite fertile. Most of the seedlings are from self crosses but I think there is some underlying brown that could come out from that too.

When I visited Cynda's this spring she told me that things like 'Silver Song' she can't keep in stock because they sell so well. Apparently we have saturated the market with reds and purples. Certainly I'm as guilty as anyone else on this but I do think we need some greens, silvers and blues with quality if only nothing more than to set off the reds and purples.

Kevin

Here you go Mark. Hen and chicks (Sempervivum 'Zundflamme')
I see that the seed parent for 'Zundflamme' is 'Honigmond'. Interesting seasonal coloring on both parent and child.

JungleShadows said:...When I visited Cynda's this spring she told me that things like 'Silver Song' she can't keep in stock because they sell so well. Apparently we have saturated the market with reds and purples. Certainly I'm as guilty as anyone else on this but I do think we need some greens, silvers and blues with quality if only nothing more than to set off the reds and purples.

Sounds like a great plan in moving towards more variety of color and its availability. I for one like to have more options in color for doing my container plantings.