I took these photo today to see what the differences might be between these 3 semps.
'Bernstein' by Botanical Garden T�bingen 1972


'Gelber Stern' by Horst Diehm 2003


'Tederheid' by Gustaaf Van Der Steen 1978


All three seem to have the same long pink stolons. 'Gelber Stern' has deeper coloring this time of year. All seem to have a velvety texture and thicker leaves.
'Tederheid' has grown better for me than 'Berstein', both grown in the same conditions. But I must say these two look very much like each other.

Those two do look pretty much the same, but I'm beginning to wonder how anyone can ID any of the semps since they change so much from month to month in one garden, and then change so much from garden to garden depending on climate and location. I've never had plants that changed so much.

I can only go by what mine do. By comparing them on the same day, growing under the same conditions, it makes it easier to see the differences they may have. If you know your source was correct you can still compare them to photos in the database that are taken at the same time of the growing season.

That is true. It just makes it a challenge, for sure!

'Gelber Stern' does look a bit different.

Below is my 'Tederheid' and 'Bernstein'. (sounds like a Broadway act) I no longer have 'Tederheid' cuz I felt it to be completely redundant. Unfortunately it's not a perfect comparison since the 'Tederheid' picture was taken a month ago while the 'Bernstein' picture is from today.

Nice photos Tim. I love the purplish coloring 'Tederheid' has earlier in the year.

In my semp garden Tederheid grows larger than Bernstein, no pics though sorry.
Love the photos Tim wish I lived near you, hate to see these plants composted :(
Karen sometime I've received plants from different sources and they don't look alike (maybe one is younger or something, and grown I different environments) and within a few months they begin looking alike, it is really off and cool!

That's neat, Greg. They are really interesting plants. No boredom with Semps! Some of mine have obvious changes just from day to day.

gg5 said:In my semp garden Tederheid grows larger than Bernstein.

Same with mine Greg. 'Berstein' is much smaller.

tcstoehr said:

Below is my 'Tederheid' and 'Bernstein'. (sounds like a Broadway act)

@tcstoehr your Broadway act would be called 'amber' if translated into English - at least this time of the year mine fit their name...

My Tederheid is much larger than my Bernstein and more brown where Bernstein has a slight pink cast to it's lovely brown. Neither is showing any purple. I do not have Gelber Stern.
I got the memory chip for my camera but now I can't seem to get the pictures transfered from the camera to the computer. I'll keep at it

Jo Ann take the card out of the camera and your computer should have a slot that will take it. You transfer from the card to your computer.

It is the same with mine Bernstein, much smaller a semp than Tederheid.

Thanks Lynn but the card is about 1 1/4 in. square and the slot in the computer is not that big. I think I used a disk that told my computer to accept the photos then i transfered them using the cord on my old computer but I do not have the disk with this camera. May have to go on eBay and see if I can find the cd.

I took a bunch of babies off Tederheid today but none on Bernstein yet.

I don't have 'Gelber Stern', but here are my others from today, and I'd like to add that right now 'Lentezon' also looks like them...maybe the tips are darker a little farther down the leaves.


Bernstein


Tederheid


Lentezon

@goldfinch4, I know this is very basic to you, but I'm wondering if those surrounding offsets will root down on their own if you leave them, or do you remove them and plant them where you want them? Many of mine are growing very quickly. I don't have the ones in this thread. Yours look wonderful!

Yes, I noticed that "Lentezon' appeared to be a virtual clone as well. I'm keeping 'Bernstein' and buh-bye 'Tederheid' and 'Lentezon'.

Same here with the 'Lentezon'. Some small differences. I'll try to get some photos this afternoon when I get home from work.

Karen, I'm not answering for Chris, but I imagine that you actually have choices. One can leave them and they will root by themselves to help form the "colony" shape or you can disconnect them (when they reach a certain size) and plant them elsewhere where they can start to form their own colony.
To me, the offsets of Lentezon can be taken away and planted elsewhere. The other two have offsets that should wait before separated from the hen.

Looks like the Tederheid and Lentezon hens and chicks both don't have a chance at Tim's house anymore! Me, I have all three also but they are going to be backups for each other. You never know with the next winter, the next bird, the next critter...

Thanks, Bev. That was what I was thinking. As far as getting rid of semps, I think it's great to keep them in a different area, and wait to see what they do. Some that look bad right now, may end up looking great the next year.