Hybridizes with : other members of the Sempervivum Genus.

Many similarities to : Cobweb Houseleek, but the leaves are covered in a network of what appear to be spiders threads, rather like as in Woolly Thistle.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics (apart from all the hybrids).

Distinguishing Feature : The highly distinctive rosette of shaply-pointed leaves.

No relation to : Leek [a vegetable with similar name].

A perennial plant much more likely to be found growing on or near a garden wall than growing in the wild. It can also be found growing on roofs and quarry faces. This plant is almost always planted (if in the UK).

Like all succulents they can survive drought because the leaves are thick and fleshy, storing water. Living on a dry-stone wall is ideal for House-leeks. They can tolerate frost.

There are about 40 species of Houseleek, and many cross-hybridize with one another making true identification almost impossible. Many cultivated garden varieties exist, and since most are planted, the specimens shown here are more than likely to be garden varieties. Even plants of the same variety are highly variable, some with longer less-rounded leaves, and with a huge variety of colours and shades that varies with the season. They are grown mostly for their spectacular leaves, since many are reluctant to flower until much older. It is rare to find one in flower.

It reproduces mainly by stolons branching out from the main cluster to produce tiny satellites which slowly grow into larger and larger rosettes of leaves. When it flowers (which is not often) the flowers first have a male stage before a hermaphrodite stage. Self-pollination is difficult because the stamens curve away from the carpels at the centre of the flower.

Unusually it has 12 petals, the highest number of any flower other than those belonging to the Daisy & Dandelion (Asteraceae) Family.