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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrops) |
| Origin: Europe, Southern (Europe) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Magenta |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Height: <1 foot |
| Width: Clumping |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: < 0 °F |
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Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Cobweb Buttons' (Cobweb Houseleek) - Hardy small succulent to 1 to 3 inches tall forming tight rosettes that reach 2-3 inches in diameter with dense webbing of gray threads over pale green leaves. Offsets readily to form tight clumps or wide mats over time. Clusters of reddish-purple star-shaped flowers rise above the foliage on short (3-4 inch) stalks in the late spring to early summer. Plant in sun or light shade (protect from intense sun inland) in a sandy well-drained soil. Requires little water. A great plant in rock crevices or as a small scale groundcover. Hardy well below 0°F – listed to USDA zone 4. We received this plant from Foremostco and did not know of its origins, though noted several similar named cultivars 'Cobweb' and 'Clärchen'. In 2014 we were contacted by a Steve Hottovy of Beyond Green Nursery (now closed) in Dayton, Oregon who told us that this was one of his selection made in the 1990s from a batch of volunteer seedlings. It appears that this plant is a robust selection of Sempervivum arachnoideum var tomentosum, a variable plant native to southern Europe from the Pyrenees east to the Carpathian Mountains. The name for the genus comes from the Latin words 'semper' meaning "always" and 'vivus' meaning "living" in reference to the long living nature of these plants. Specific epithet is from the Latin word derived from Greek word 'arachne' meaning "spider" for the web-like hairs. The common names Houseleek or Roof House Leek comes from the ancient practice of planting these plants on the thatched roofs of houses to prevent roof fires caused by lightning. The alternate common name of Hen and Chicks is because the older center plant in a clump is larger and surrounded by smaller plants, though on this Spider Web Hens and Chicks, most rosettes in a cluster are about the same size, lacking a larger mother hen among the smaller chicks. Image courtesy of Foremostco.
This information about Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Cobweb Buttons' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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