Are there any succulents/hens and chicks experts here?

PilatesLover · ‎08-20-2014

I'm redoing my garden to incorporate more succulents and other xeriscape compatable plants. I added some hens and chicks to the front border.

Last year I had put in a beautiful H&C with a nice spiky middle "flower." This year the main "hen" is gone and there are only chicks there. Is there a way to encourage these plants to regrow the pretty mother section?

Thank you!

tessam · ‎04-30-2010

I am no expert but have fond memories of my childhood garden filled with hens and chicks. This is what I recall. A blooming hen on a hen and chicks plant is often referred to as a rooster. The individual rosettes will begin to elongate and lengthen vertically when it is time to produce flowers.

Removing the budding stem can’t save the rosette. The blooms on hens and chicks plants are a part of a monocarpic process. That means they flower, seed, and then die. There is nothing to be done about it other than to enjoy them while they last and look forward to regrowth the following season. From what I think you are describing, they just have not begun the natural growing process which depending on where you live is summertime.

wagirl · ‎03-09-2010

I'm no expert with these either but a few years ago, I found a few small pots of hens/chicks on the sale table at my grocery store--they looked pretty rough but I bought them, and put them in different pots and just let them go---hardly remembered to give them a drink, left them in the freezing weather and those things are still amongst the living---they get that long flower stalk and I have even taken the babies off and threw them on a patch of dirt and they grow just fine. You can separate them and re plant them----virtually indestructible

silkyk · ‎03-03-2011

If you are a fan of succulents be sure and check over on ebay and Amazon for " assorted succulent cuttings". Last year I purchased from a few different growers and am SO happy with all my new plants. Great assortments and easy to grow. Now I have a huge garden of lovely cacti! Potted them up in all kinds of containers from teacups to olive oil cans and they look great and are fun to grow.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

Be sure to read labels when you buy succulents. Many, most, are not hardy under freezing conditions and will not survive the winter outside. Once, Home Depot had a huge table covered with pots of a variety of succulents. I read every label and none were winter hardy.

It's possible once the mother "hen" has produced babies she automatically dies. Many plants do that. The babies will soon grow and produce flowers.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

@silkyk Cacti and succulents are entirely different varieties of plants and are not related.

I bought some fantastic day lilies on eBay from people who were thinning their gardens. It's a great source.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

NickNack · ‎03-10-2010

@Kachina624 wrote:
Be sure to read labels when you buy succulents. Many, most, are not hardy under freezing conditions and will not survive the winter outside. Once, Home Depot had a huge table covered with pots of a variety of succulents. I read every label and none were winter hardy.

It's possible once the mother "hen" has produced babies she automatically dies. Many plants do that. The babies will soon grow and produce flowers.

@PilatesLover @Kachina624 is correct. Once the mother hen flowers, the chicks come and the hen dies. I have some cold hardy hens 'n chicks, but you have to make sure they are zoned for your area. Most of them are meant for warmer climates.

They do prefer being outside, though, and I don't know of any of them that do well indoors.

Edited to add: I meant that most hens 'n chicks don't do well inside. They prefer being outside but in the right climate. I have indoor succulents that do well. You need to read about them and their light and watering needs though.

The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau

silkyk · ‎03-03-2011

@Kachina624 wrote:
@silkyk Cacti and succulents are entirely different varieties of plants and are not related.

I bought some fantastic day lilies on eBay from people who were thinning their gardens. It's a great source.

All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. I grow both and treat them the same and all thrive.