Perennials

Re: sempervivium

bigsusan55 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:10:39 GMT

Sorry it has taken so long for you to get a reply to this. What has happened is fasciation, when the meristem growing point has been damaged in some way and the plant has got a bit confused about what it is supposed to be doing. A number of plants will do this - I've most often seen foxgloves and linaria do this. There is good info on this RHS website - see http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0700/fasciation.asp.

Big Susan

Re: sempervivium

Girty Fergal — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:36:33 GMT

Is it unusual to get two flowers stuck together like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/g4md/3693336659/ ???

Re: sempervivium

Girty Fergal — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:53:28 GMT

I never even realised they flowered. They are fab. I've become a real fan. I fancy trying to find some uncommon ones now. Any ideas where to buy or where to find info. Doesn't seem to be so much on the net as for other stuff.

Re: sempervivium

hydropiper — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:15:37 GMT

They must like the conditions you're providing if they're flowering. Once the sempervivum (semps for short) rosettes have flowered they will go brown and die, as they're monocarpic. But this isn't really a problem because they normally produce a circlet of new rosettes around themselves, so there are usually plenty to keep the colony going in subsequent years. If you think the brown dead flower stem looks unsightly then remove it. I don't do anything with mine, they just disintigrate after a while and new rosettes take their place. Semps are great!! So easy to look after and don't die if you go on holiday for lack of water. Brilliant.

Re: sempervivium

Girty Fergal — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:23:16 GMT

Thankyou

Re: sempervivium

Phot's-Moll — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:18:57 GMT

Yes, remove them once they start to look untidy.

sempervivium

Girty Fergal — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:56:45 GMT

Hi My semperviviums have gone crazy flowering this year what I'd like to know is should I remove the flowers once they are done.

Thanks