Hen and chicks


Hen and chicks is a common name for a group of small succulent plants, a term that indicates a plant that possesses enlarged parts to store water. It belongs to the flowering plant family Crassulaceae, native to southern Europe and northern Africa. The plants grow close to the ground with leaves formed around each other in a rosette, and propagating by offsets. The "hen" is the main, or mother, plant, and the "chicks" are a flock of offspring, which start as tiny buds on the main plant and soon sprout their own roots, taking up residence close to the mother plant.
Plants commonly referred to as "Hens and chicks" include ground-hugging species of Sempervivum such as Sempervivum 'Pekinese', S. arachnoideum, and S. tectorum, as well as members of the related genus Jovibarba. The name is also used for some species of Echeveria, Sedum and Bergenia although these plants differ significantly from Sempervivum and Jovibarba, and may require different cultivation and care.

Care

Hen and chicks is popular in gardens for its varied and interesting appearance and hardiness. It is grown as container planting or in rock gardens. It does best in well-drained, rocky soil; if they are kept wet, the outer leaves will rot. Planting them in cactus or succulent soil will prevent your plant from sitting in water and meeting an untimely end. Commercial succulent soil is a good choice. Although it does best in sun, it will grow in light shade.

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