.jpg)
Houseleek
Sempervivum tectorum · Crassulaceae
📷 Terragio67 · CC BY-SA 4.0
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around houseleek and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, fleshy and gray-green
- Flowering
- July to September, rose-red flowers
- Adult size
- 4 to 6 inches tall, rosettes 2 to 4 inches in diameter
- Growth
- Slow to moderate
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, down to -4°F
- Origin
- Alps and mountainous regions of Europe
- Soil type
- Well-draining, poor, rocky
Expert tips
The key tip
Laissez le sol sécher complètement entre les arrosages, idéalement une fois par mois en croissance. Le vrai secret : plantez dans un substrat très drainant (50% sable, 50% terreau cactus minimum) car elle meurt d'engorgement bien plus que de soif, même en pot.
The common mistake
Arroser trop souvent et trop abondamment, surtout au printemps quand on croit qu'elle "redemarre" — c'est la première cause de pourriture racinaire et de mort chez les débutants.
The pro's trick
Laissez les rosettes mères mourir naturellement après floraison (c'est normal) sans intervenir, elles nourriront les rosettes filles qui se sont multipliées autour. Vous obtenez un tapis dense sans effort.
Seasonal watch
En hiver dans les régions très humides, surveillez la pourriture grise au cœur des rosettes serrées — si vous la cultivez en pot sous un auvent, aérez régulièrement ou surélevez légèrement pour éviter l'accumulation d'humidité stagnante.
Care
Watering
Water moderately during active growth (spring-summer), allowing the soil to dry between waterings. In fall and winter, drastically reduce watering. Avoid water accumulation in the rosette center to prevent rot.
Light exposure
Place your houseleek in full sun for optimal color and ideal compactness. It tolerates light partial shade, but prefers 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Intense sun intensifies the reddish tones of the foliage.
Soil
Prepare a very well-draining substrate: mix of cactus potting soil, sand and gravel. Avoid rich and moist soils that promote rot. A slight slope or elevation helps with water drainage.
Pruning and propagation
No pruning is necessary. After flowering, the mother rosette dies naturally, making way for daughter rosettes that emerge at its base. You can detach these small rosettes to propagate them in dry, mineral substrate.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is not essential for this plant adapted to poor soils. A light application of diluted succulent fertilizer in spring is more than enough. Avoid excess amounts that weaken the plant.
Diseases and pests
Houseleek is very resistant. The main risks are root rot and crown rot from excess moisture. Mealybugs may occasionally appear. Prioritize excellent air circulation and impeccable drainage.
Did you know?
Called the 'roof houseleek' because it traditionally grows on the roofs of Alpine chalets, it was once planted for its supposed protective properties against lightning and fire. In reality, its shallow roots and ability to thrive in the moist cracks of roofs make it a true guardian of old European buildings for centuries.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring, once all risk of frost has gone. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: from April to June.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Biting stonecropSedum acre
- Cobweb HouseleekSempervivum arachnoideum
- Pacific stonecropSedum spathulifolium
- Pig's earCotyledon orbiculata
- Tree roofleek, Tree aeoniumAeonium arboreum
- Autumn stonecropHylotelephium spectabile
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.