The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Sempervivum

a genus of plants of the family Crassulaceae. They are perennial herbs with fleshy, alternate, sessile leaves (the lower leaves are in radical rosettes). The shoots that do not bear flowers are in the form of spherical rosettes. The regular, bisexual flowers are yellowish, pink, or purple and gathered in cymose-paniculate inflorescences. The double perianth is for the most part six-to 20-parted. The fruit is multiple.

There are approximately 30 species of Sempervivum, distributed in Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Southwest Asia, and northwestern Africa (Atlas). The plants grow on rocky slopes in alpine and subalpine zones. Eleven species are found in the USSR, primarily in the Caucasus. In the European USSR, they grow in dry, sandy places. The species S. zeleborii and S. soboliferum, which are often separated into the genus Jovibarba, are often found in pine forests. The young rosettes and leaves of S. soboliferum are edible. Many species of Sempervivum are cultivated as ornamentals.

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References in periodicals archive

There is a great tradition of using them as carpet bedding plants, along with houseleeks (sempervivums) and echeverias to create wonderful whirls, swirls and elaborate patterns.

Summer stunners; Award-winning sedums need little water, are versatile and create a vivid carpet of colour

Some plants, such as sempervivum (houseleek), develop offsets which can be carefully lifted with a trowel and replanted.

Split decision

THIS week's plant, the sempervivum or houseleek, is a great favourite of mine.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: HOUSELEEK; Humble - but oh so delightful

SEMPERVIVUM THE houseleek loves it hot and dry as its thick succulent leaves have the ability to store water.

N a visit to the garden ceRocking a natural look; ADD A DASH OF COLOUR WITH SOME OF THESE LITTLE ALPINE GEMS

Fel arfer, llysiau pentai (Sepervivum tectorum; Houseleek) oedd i'w weld yn tyfu ar dai to gwellt erstalwm, ond mae 'na hefyd rywogaeth arall o lysiau pentai sy'n cael ei galw yn Saesneg yn 'Hen and Chickens Houseleek' (Jovibarba sobolifera).

Tylluanod, cogau, llifbryf a blodyn dafad ac oen..

Yn aml iawn, roedd pobl yn defnyddio naill ai'r ddeilen gron neu lysiau pentai (Sempervivum tectorum; houseleek) i drin gwahanol anhwylderau ar y croen, ac mi fyddai'n ddifyr iawn cael gwybod os oes rhywun yn cofio defnyddio'r rhain hefyd.

Oeddech chi'n defnyddio'r ddeilen gron? AIL NATUR

Mi wn fod llygad y dydd (Bellis perennis; daisy), briallu (Primula vulgaris; primrose) a llysiau pentai (Sempervivum tectorum; houseleek) yn rhai o'r planhigion a ddefnyddid, ond tybed wyddoch chi am rai eraill?

Planhigion i dynnu clais, a cherddi i'r ddraenen wen; LLEN Y LLYSIAU BYD NATUR

Sempervivum (houseleek) If you've covered these pretty rock garden stalwarts during the wettest weather to stop them rotting, then by early spring they should be the shining stars of the alpine bed, their sculptured rosettes making a shapely background for later-flowering miniature species.

Best of the Bunch

'Houseleek' ydi'r enw Saesneg arno ac mae'r enw 'Leek' yn dod o'r gair Eingl-Sacsoneg 'leac', a'i ystyr ydi planhigyn, felly 'planhigyn y ty'.

Gwella cleifion ers cyfnod y Groegiaid; BYD NATUR

SEMPERVIVUM (Houseleek): These eye-catching, evergreen, low-growing succulents provide essential early interest in the rock garden, scree bed or alpine container before spring flowers come into their own.

Best of the bunch

Companion plant with sempervivum tectorum (houseleek) and sedum spurium, which will tumble over the top of the basket.

Pots and pots of basket cases; gardening

Arachnoideum, the cobweb houseleek - green and pink rosettes with a dense covering of white hairs

The Peter Surridge Gardening Club: Varied selection of easy going houseleeks