Does anyone know what Semp group might be considered an heirloom or early semp(before 1850s ?

Maybe Kevin talks about that in his book.

Interesting question but I don't know if it makes much sense or not. Heirloom vegetables are so-called because their seeds grew true to the parent and were kept in families from one generation to the next. Even smuggled into the US by immigrants who valued their genetics and predictable performance. I don't know if we have anything like this in semps. Maybe the original species plants? Since semps reproduce so easily from offsets rather than seeds the notion of "heirloom" might not apply.

I was not sure how to phrase it and that seemed to carry the idea. Original species would be good to know too.
Or just the ones known to be around before 1900????.

@JungleShadows

Kevin can would you address Marilyn's question?

No such designation as far as I know. In irises, they consider ant iris older than 30 years old as historic. So many of my cultivars from my youth are now historic.

The species aren't heirloom, they're species.

Kevin

Thank you Kevin. That is a new wrinkle in my brain for today.

Thanks, Tim, Lynn and Kevin for the help on this.

It would be good to know some of the names of the earliest known Semps. Sort of like a Once upon a time there was a little arachnoideum " which lived on the hillsides of Turkey", or where ever, and over time it grew and multiplied and became............

Kind of like a bed time story, passing the history on to children.

Marilyn, or...Once upon a time a shepherd's daughter named 'Heidi' went up into the alps and what did she find but some cute little plants

tcstoehr said: Interesting question but I don't know if it makes much sense or not. Heirloom vegetables are so-called because their seeds grew true to the parent and were kept in families from one generation to the next. Even smuggled into the US by immigrants who valued their genetics and predictable performance. I don't know if we have anything like this in semps. Maybe the original species plants? Since semps reproduce so easily from offsets rather than seeds the notion of "heirloom" might not apply.

My semps may have been smuggled into the US from Austria - as they have been in my family for 100 years - I expect they are considered heirloom.

And I think we decided mine are Sempervivum tectorum?

Your are welcome to some of them @CDsSister if you are ever so inclined. They thrive here in Ohio, no idea how they would be in CO.

Christie, you family heirloom is lovely. Wonder how they would do in Colorado?

Christie, thank you @cwhitt I think Lynn would have a better growing environment in Oregon. Anything seems to thrive out there.

I need to get out and see how mine are doing. I just hate to disturb them until after Mother's Day as we can get freezes until about then. We have had so many ups and downs lately. One day high 70s and the next day or so wind, cold and snow. So for now I am just waiting to see if the ones I still have, survive where so many others have not. I still enjoy this forum about them even if I cannot grow them well myself.

Perhaps I will think about it though as those are really lovely plants. I hope you will continue to pass them down in your family.

My question was mostly curiosity.

Marilyn, don't let them dry out. They do need some moisture.

Marilyn, I think Lynn mis-typed - she means to say "Don't let them dry out" even under the covers they need periodic water through the winter!

Thank you Greg. I went back and corrected it.

I have the same variety as Christie, been lugging it around for 35 + years. Does well back East and here in the Midwest.

@GregC - perhaps ours are related! Kissing cousins!

This is a very interesting question. I've often wondered, looking at my tectorums (they were growing by my side door when I bought my house), where they came from and how long they've been growing in this country. It's conceivable they could go all the way back to colonial days, isn't it - passed from one gardener to another? Anyway, I've given away enough of them over the years that the lineage should continue into the future after I'm gone.

The book "Plant Jewels of the High Country" is dated 1972. The cultivars in there could be considered heirloom, I suppose. I'm not near the book at the moment but if you're interested I can list those when it's more convenient.

I believe Jovibarba sobolifera has been a long time in cultivation as well.

That would be great!