Sempervivum 'Pacific Blue Ice' Hens & Chicks, an herbaceous evergreen perennial, commonly known as hens & chicks or houseleek, stands out as a mat-forming succulent. This unique variety features cupped and rounded rosettes with an icy blue-green color that transforms into rose at the center, particularly in cooler weather. Growing as one large rosette (hen), 'Pacific Blue Ice' spreads in all directions by sprouting smaller rosettes (chicks) that cluster around it. As a monocarpic plant, the hen naturally dies after flowering, paving the way for the chicks to take over and become hens themselves. Easy division is possible at any time by pulling up some of the chicks and replanting them elsewhere.
Hens & chicks serve as excellent structural additions to the garden, offering architectural form and extreme versatility for unique planting opportunities. These succulents thrive when planted in the cracks and crevices of dry stone walls or in rock gardens and are well-suited to xeriscapes and alpine gardens. Massed in small spaces, they create a visually appealing ground cover, and they make attractive container plants, suitable for both indoor and outdoor settings.
Hens & chicks are resilient and adaptable to almost any location. They tolerate cold and require minimal maintenance. While they flourish in hot, sunny spots, some light shade, especially in the afternoon in hot summer climates, can be beneficial. They easily adapt to various soils but prefer average, dry to medium-moist, very well-draining, gritty soils with a slightly acidic pH between 5.8 and 6.5. Drought tolerant, virtually pest and disease free, and resistant to deer and rabbits, hens & chicks thrive in challenging conditions, with the only potential threat being overly wet conditions.
