Photo of Sempervivum arachnoideum foliage by plant lust

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Sempervivum arachnoideum

Also Known As

  • Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Cobweb'
  • Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Cobwebs'
  • Cobweb Hens & Chicks
  • Cobweb Houseleek

Plant type

cactus / succulent, groundcover

size

  • H: 3"-4"
  • W: 4"

planting zones

  • 4a-8b

More Options

Sempervivum arachnoideum plant details

Sempervivum arachnoideum is an evergreen groundcover cactus / succulent with blue, green and white foliage. In summer pink flowers emerge. Features fuzzy and glaucous texture. Attracts bees making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly sun and occasional - low water. Does well in average, gritty and well-drained soil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Sempervivum arachnoideum

Plant type: groundcover cactus / succulent
Plant family: crassulaceae
Foliage: evergreen blue, green and white
Mature size: 4 IN wide, 3 IN - 4 IN - tall
Flowers: pink blooms in summer
Uses: container plant, easy-to-grow, edging plant, long-lived, monocarpic, rock garden, roof garden, rosette-forming, xeric, year round interest

GROWING CONDITIONS for Sempervivum arachnoideum

USDA Zones: 4a - 8b
Sun exposure: sun - mostly sun
Watering frequency: occasional - low
Resistant to: deer
Soil needs: average, gritty and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Zn 5. Tight green rosettes with cobweb hairs.
Love the common name....very Gothic. Spun cobweb-like filaments adorn the fleshy rosettes, adding an interesting textural display. This hardy Hens and Chicks really needs excellent drainage to be happy....think crevices in a rockery or stone wall. Height is under 4' and spreads by offsets where happy.
Pink flowers and green succulent foliage.
Sempervivum Cobweb is named for its unusual web like covering. Cobweb is about one inch wide by three quarters inch high. It produces tiny off shoots at its base looking much like chicks hiding under a hen’s wings. In time the mother plant will bloom with beautiful rose pink blooms on a thick upright stalk. Then the mother plant fades and dies while the chicks gather strength and grow on to continue the process of new life. The chicks can be pulled up most any time during the growing season and planted in a new location. Excellent in rock walls, between pavers, containers troughs and any site in full sun with good drainage.
'Cobweb' is covered with fine, white threads which crisscross between the leaves' tips like a cobweb. Each rosette of pointy, blue-green leaves grows about 1 inch wide. Photo courtesy of Walters Garden
Cobweb with medium sized freely offsetting rosettes, presumable the webs scare off insects looking for a meal; Ender loves the spider web without the spider concept and has planted these all over our rock garden. Thankfully, his taste improved, he discovered Kab Saxes later in the summer (he planted his own tufa trough, its quite nice). Ender says to remind you they are monocarpic and have a really weird scape.
Shade. Outdoor/Indoor. Pink Flowers. Flowering Rosette dies after blooming..

By: Moon - Sun Cactus & Koi Gardens

Small alpine succulent covered with spider-web-like white hairs.

Gardening facts about Sempervivum arachnoideum plant

How to Grow Sempervivum arachnoideum

  • Sun Exposure

    • sun - mostly sun
  • Water Needs

    • occasional - low
  • Soil Needs

    • average
    • well-drained
    • gritty

Features

  • Foliage Color

    • white
    • green
    • blue
  • Flower Color

    • pink
  • Wildlife

    • bees
    • deer resistant
  • Flower Season

    • summer
  • Foliage Season

    • evergreen
  • Texture

    • glaucous
    • fuzzy
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