A beauty!

[Leo40]

omething for our mathematicians to ponder.

 

[RyanX]

That is beautiful Leo40! :)

What kind of plant is that, if I may ask?

 

[Leo40]

Hi, RyanX:

The popular name is "Hens and Chickens".
I took the picture because I am fascinated by geometry in nature.
I am amazed every year how well the plants are growing in my little garden.

 

[Gertrudes]

Indeed, it's beautiful!

The popular name is "Hens and Chickens".

Now that's an interesting name. I wonder why is it called that....

 

[Leo40]

Hi, Gertrudes:

The name refers to the way this plant propagates.
It produces all these little round balls that then grow like the two
large ones.

 

[Lilou]

The hens & chickens are very beautiful! Do they do well in shade?

 

[Pierre]

The hens & chickens are very beautiful! Do they do well in shade?

I think those kinds of plants like the sun:

Sempervivum arachnoideum need full sun to light shade with a well drained soil mix. In the greenhouse, we use a soil mix consisting of 1 part peat moss to 2 parts loam to 2 parts coarse sand. I like to add small gravel to ensure good drainage. During the growing season, the plants are watered and allowed to dry slightly before watering again. Although they can take a great deal of drought, they seem to do better with regular watering. During the growing season, we fertilize plants monthly with a balanced fertilizer diluted to 1/2 the strength recommended on the label. During the winter months, plants are watered very little and nighttime temperatures are dropped to 48°F (9°C).

 

[Gertrudes]

Hi, Gertrudes:

The name refers to the way this plant propagates.
It produces all these little round balls that then grow like the two
large ones.

Ah, that makes sense. Though it's still a funny name :)
Thanks Leo40.

 

[Lilou]

I think those kinds of plants like the sun:

Thanks Belibaste. I had them in mind for a border, but it's probably too shady. I could put them in the rock garden though, that area gets full sun. I think those plants are awesome!

Thanks for sharing Leo40!

 

[Harold]

Yes very nice plants, I think I had some at one time, I see them in a garden on my walks, good in full sun, good ground cover, helps to stop erosion. They make little chicks each year and spread out nicely if I remember correctly.