Hey everyone,
I've just started to collect more hardy succulents after my attempt to grow adeniums in my climate failed (I'm in Northern California.) I've spent the last few years growing a few semps and giving them away once they look very nice, but this time I plan to keep what I have. Hopefully I don't kill too many off in the process of getting situated. I just put in a couple orders online and started getting my collection together. I received my first hueffelii and rollers too!
One pot has an S. 'oh my' surrounded by some that I don't know the names off. The other mixed pot has a hedgehog roller and several other hueffelii, including hueffelii blaze and some semp t. (I know one is red heart) too. The picture shown with only one variety in the pot is an S. Lenniks glory.
I have S. 'Kalinda' in its own pot that I'll post pics off at some point and a S. Vigil Ford, S. Alpha, S. Red cobweb, S. Director Jacobs, S. Casa along with some others that I'm working on getting into terra cotta containers. I would love to know what the yellow and red ones are that are planted with my S. 'Oh my.' Unfortunately I got them very cheap in a 12 pack. I'll get pics of the other ones and their names up soon. Reading everyone's posts I can't wait to learn from everyone here!

@Planthoarder! I'm one of the newbies here but I am already addicted. I only have 4 different ones right now, but many orders are on the horizon. Thanks for the pics. I would love to know what your yellow ones are.

Welcome to the forum. Nice to have another person to join in the conversation. You have some beautiful healthy plants.

Planthoarder. It is wonderful to meet you. And I love your photos. What part of Northern California? Just wondering if you live near Mountain Crest Gardens? https://www.google.com/maps/pl...

I wish we could give a name to your lovely yellow semps, but if it didn't come with a name it would be almost impossible to identify it. They chance colors throughout the year, and some can even change leaf shape depending on the time of year.
You can still love it as a NOID. Many of us have a few of those in our collections, we love so much we just can't part with them.

Welcome. Should we call you PlantHoarder? You could put a name in your profile if you prefer that.
Those unknown varieties will remain forever unknown... sorry. We refer to them as NOIDs (No ID). There are just too many similar varieties and they grow so differently in varying habitats that identification is not possible. Most of us have several NOIDs that we obtained with labels but later found out are not the as advertised.
Northern California summers may be challenging for Sempervivums. Being in pots make sure you move them into afternoon shade during hot weather. And try not to let them get too soaked in the wet season.

PlantHoarder! Nice to have another person enamored of semps...
And Noids are great too:

planthoarder
Half of my collection happens to consist of NOIDs and all of my seedlings are NOIDs, too

Thanks for your comments everyone! The yellow ones look like the photo of lenniks glory simply succulents puts out but I have a lenniks glory which is photographed by itself in the pot and the color is a little off when I compare them but they do look very similar. However, I'm okay with them being a NOID. I live about 30 minutes East of Sacramento. Our Summer's can be brutal, I'm a transplant from Orlando Fl though so not in comparison. The summers here in N. Cali are much shorter lived. I've got a nice Semp in the ground it's a NOID since I lost it's tag but I am renting and I expect to loose the colony when I move, I'm sure I'll get a chick though. Is mountain crest in Oregon? I'm about 6 hours from the Oregon border. I do enjoy going to the Bay Area nurseries like Annie's Annuals, Flora Grubb, and Cactus Jungle.

The temps right now just got into the 40s at night. I'm still hardening off some plants and for my old succulents 40s would be too cold but I've had my little guys outside and they seem to be doing okay. I see no damage yet. Can anyone tell me what is considered cold when people say they shouldn't be cold and wet? Some of my plants tags say they go down to -20 degrees F. I also know my mail order plants came from youngs (Oregon) and SimplySucculents ( Sedona AZ) where it has been colder than where I am. They were in a cold frame but even with the few degrees warmer it keeps them it would still be warmer.

My SimplySucculents semps came with a little surprise. MealyBugs hiding out in the roots. I gave them all an alcohol dip last week before I transplanted them. After I dipped the roots I sprayed them off with water so they were bare root. I loved the idea of my mail order plants coming in pots because I'm a little anal and when I get bare root I feel like I have to get them into a pot ASAP. When my plants came from youngs they were all labeled in a bag the bags got wet and I threw most my plants into a single pot I can ID 3 varieties easily. For now on I won't get more than two varieties from youngs.
Youngs order was overwhelming they came with so many plants! My H. Blaze came with 3 nice size hens a smaller hen that had two connected to each other and a bunch of chicks! I have about 7 six packs I put together from all the baby chicks I got from youngs mixed in with my hens. It was overwhelming in a good way I suppose. I wasn't prepared for the amount of plants I was about to receive.

I have my S. a. Red cobweb and Alpha potted up and my director Jacobs potted up too I'll have to wait till tomorrow or get pics since I won't be home til it gets dark out.
I'm looking forward to the time changing so I can have more time with my plants!
My name is Ryan I'll add it to my profile soon.
I go to school for horticulture at a local community college in Sac. I also work in the Hort department caring for the greenhouses and their arboretum. Part of my job is propagating plants all day ( mostly succulents this spring) sometimes I can't believe I'm getting paid to do that. I've only been working there for a year I volunteered before that and I'll only have a paid position til the end of summer. Then I'll be looking for other nursery work! (Just a little about me because I know everyone's curious!!

Thanks
Ryan

Ryan, thanks for sharing a little of your background. Nice that you can sort of "live what you like", that is doing and be surrounded by that which interests you.

Semps can survive in cold temperatures but not so easily when their roots and leaves are sitting in wet conditions. Good drainage in soil is very important in preventing semps from developing rot. I check the temperature predictions for the week and when I see cold temps coming, I make sure not to water my semps before the cold comes. When there is heavy rain predicted, I put them under cover away from too much rain. Nothing worse than having to take tweezers to pull soggy rotted leaves off of plants or having to tuck small rocks under the leaves to prevent them from sitting atop of soggy wet soil. I had quite a number of plants with mold starting in on the outer leaves that touched the soil. Some moldy/rotting rosettes had to be pulled out away from the healthy ones.

Webesemps thanks for the tips.
I've been using E.B. Stone cactus potting soil. Mixed with pumice and perlite and a little charcoal (I always use a little charcoal I like the texture) All my amendments are purchased at a local nursery chain. I then do a top layer with pea gravel. I think I'm going to change my top dressing to chicken grit though. I like how it's sharper looking than the pea gravel I use.

I took some pictures of some of my other semps, it was dark when I took the pics. I'm excited to share though!

In order.
The first pot has a few Semp. a. Alpha and Semp. a. Red Cobweb

The pot with 5 in it are NOIDS.
I'll get some pictures in the day light when they mature a bit more.

Next is Kalinda. I put this one in an orchid pot. I noticed the bottom leaves of the rosettes are point downward. My understanding is this could be from over watering. The terra cotta glazed orchid pot has holes throughout it. I'm hoping this will allow the soil to dry out better between waterings.

My other smaller pot with 4 little chicks has Semp red heart, 2 jovibarba hedgehog, and Jovibarba hirta histoni I have to double check to see what the last little chick is. They have some dirt caked on them in waiting for some warmer temps to water them down real good to get the dirt cleaned off better.

The last picture I have Belansky Tatra Jovibarba hirta in a smaller pot.

I still have more that I need to pot up. I'll take some day time pics when those are done so I can share.
for checking out my pics!

Very nice Ryan. Love the photos. So you have them all indoors?

Planthoarder,

Welcome to the group of semp fanatics. We are a nice group and you'll find the answers to many of your questions here. Some useful information in the older posts too that have been archived.

You mentioned the rosettes with reflexed lower leaves. The lower leaves arching backwards are often found when a plant has too much shade. For example, when plants take several weeks to get here from Europe, they are often in that form. Eventually the plant will resume a normal rosette form as the outer leaves die off and the plant rights itself in its new environment. In extreme versions, I will cut off some of the highly reflexed leaves so that the rosette will lay flatter and new roots will form a but easier.

The people at Mountain Crest Gardens are SUPER. They bought the collection of semps from Irene Russ, who lived near where you are.

Kevin

JungleShadows said:.... The lower leaves arching backwards are often found when a plant has too much shade. For example, when plants take several weeks to get here from Europe, they are often in that form. Eventually the plant will resume a normal rosette form as the outer leaves die off and the plant rights itself in its new environment. In extreme versions, I will cut off some of the highly reflexed leaves so that the rosette will lay flatter and new roots will form a but easier...

Kevin, I've always wondered about that problem and now armed with your info I will feel I can take control of the situation; there's nothing like a little control to be had to make my head swell...

Bev, When you've been doing this for 53 years, you're bound to learn something! Am glad I could help!

Kevin

Websemps
It was in a greenhouse before before I brought it home. I looked at it this evening when I got home and it's already starting to look better. Thanks for the info!

valleylynn said:Very nice Ryan. Love the photos. So you have them all indoors?

No I have them on my patio where they get full sun. I have an awning that has a remote control so I can put it out if I feel like they are starting to get too much sun later in the spring/summer or on 100 degree days.

I got my pacific blue ice potted. I got it from simply succulents.. If pacific blue ice isn't the correct variety could someone please let me know? I haven't come across anything about that on the forum...
Since my plants from simply succulents came with mealy bugs on the roots I've been soaking the root ball in alcohol then washing all the dirt off with water. Then I spray the rosettes and the roots with alcohol again and hit it with the hose before planting. I started doing this a little over a week ago and the plants I potted then have no visible signs of stress from the treatment. I'd rather do that and have the plant die off early then end up with an infested Semp collection with these insidious pest!
Sorry about repeating my
Mealy bug issue and solution. I just wanted to say it worked on the other plants so far.

There's no way to tell if that's 'PBI' or not. I don't see anything about it that is necessarily wrong. For future reference, unidentified varieties of Sempervivum will remain forever and always unidentified. There are too many similar varieties and they grow so differently in different settings that identification is futile.
Generally, but not always, responsible vendors send the right variety. Simply Succulents is reasonably responsible, but they all fail sometimes and even they have the problem of receiving incorrectly named stock and unknowingly passing it on. None of us are immune.

Hi Ryan, I'm a little late to the party, but wanted to say welcome anyway! Great to have you here! Looks like you're doing a good job with your semps, they all look nice and healthy.

We all constantly learn from each other here and you won't find a nicer bunch of people. We're all looking forward to seeing you expand you semp collection and join the rest of us sempaholics.

Here's hoping you've got your mealy problem under control!

Ryan here is a photo of a mature rosette of 'Pacific Blue Ice' showing the same basic colors. Yours will look a little different because it is small, has been shipped, treated for pests and finally into soil. But I do think you have the correct plant.


Mealy bug can get into a nursery easily and become a real problem. The nursery people here treat for it whether the see them or not, just as a precautionary thing.
That is why I like to buy my semps bare root. All soil cleaned off and roots dried out before shipping.

Thanks Lynn!
I think it's smart to treat for precaution for those pest. I hate them! my PBI has the same blue color but it's hard to see in the photo right now. I'm pretty confident it's the same.
I love my NOIDS and will keep them as such. I was just double checking to see what everyone thought about the PBI they can look a little different from the photos you seen online when purchasing because they obviously change season to season.

Today I bought miracle grow for succulents in the pump and dosed all my semps. I'm always afraid of over doing it, but I feel like once in the spring isn't too much.
I got two more plants potted up tonight
My director Jacobs, and another one but the tag only had an ID number on it from SS so I have to look up the plant on their website and print a label for it. I didn't take a picture of that one.
My Director Jacobs was left in a more shaded area and to make matters worse I left a tinted dome over the top of it for a few days so while planting it today I noticed it was at the start of stretch. I've got it in better light on my patio and where it will be hardened off this week for full sun. I'll take pictures and post them tomorrow.