Common houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum)

Common houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) is a plant of succulent leaves that can grow up to 10cm tall and 10cm – 50cm wide.

This plant has several common names including: common houseleek, St Patrick’s cabbage, bullock’s beard, bullock’s eye, devil’s beard, earwort, fuet, healing blade, homewort, imbroke, Jove’s beard, Jupiter’s beard, Jupiter’s eye, poor Jan’s leaf, red-leaved houseleek, roof foil, roof houseleek, sengreen, thunder plant or welcome-home-husband-however-drunk-you-be.

This is a evergreen plant that takes 5-10 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: common houseleek, St Patrick’s cabbage, bullock’s beard, bullock’s eye, devil’s beard, earwort, fuet, healing blade, homewort, imbroke, Jove’s beard, Jupiter’s beard, Jupiter’s eye, poor Jan’s leaf, red-leaved houseleek, roof foil, roof houseleek, sengreen, thunder plant, welcome-home-husband-however-drunk-you-be
Scientific name: Sempervivum tectorum
Plant type: Cactus / Succulent
Habit: Mat forming
Height: Up to 10cm
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Informal Garden, Patio & Container Garden, Rock & Gravel Garden
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding, Ground Cover, Hedging & Screens
Other characteristics: RHS Award of Garden Merit

Seasonal colors

How to plant Common houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) – Ellehard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cultivation profiles – Growing Common houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) – Syrio, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons