Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Black Hen and Chicks: Dark-Tipped Rosettes in Lavender's Gravel
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Black hen and chicks forms tight, symmetrical rosettes 2 to 4 inches across, green in the center with the outer half of each fleshy leaf darkening to a deep black-red. The color is strongest in cool weather and full sun. Over time, each mother rosette, the hen, surrounds itself with a ring of chicks.
It is a plant that thrives on neglect, which makes it a natural fit for lavender growers. We already know how to leave things alone.
Black at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Sempervivum 'Black' |
| Foliage | Green centers with black-red tips, evergreen |
| Flowers | Occasional star-shaped flowers on a short stalk |
| Size | 4 to 6 inches tall, 6 to 8 inches wide per cluster |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | Very low; rots in wet soil |
| Deer | Resistant |
A sculptural partner for lavender
Lavender grows up in soft, airy spikes. Black hens and chicks sits flat and tight to the ground, a cluster of dark-edged stars. That contrast in form is what makes them look good together. Both plants love lean, gravelly, sun-baked ground, so the rosettes can live right along the front edge of a lavender bed, in gravel mulch between plants or in the gaps of a stone border.
They also stay put in winter. When lavender is silvery and quiet, the evergreen rosettes keep the bed edge looking finished.
Planting and care
- Soil: poor to average with sharp drainage: gravel, sandy soil, rock crevices or a shallow container.
- Water: very little once settled. Wet or heavy soil causes crown and root rot.
- No mulch: do not cover the rosettes with organic mulch; gravel is fine.
- Flowering: a rosette that sends up a flower stalk dies afterward. Cut off the spent stalk, pull out the old rosette and let the chicks fill the gap.
- Sharing: pull off a few chicks any time and replant them elsewhere.
In the hottest weeks, rosettes may close up and lose a little color, then recover in fall. Watch for mealybugs and vine weevil larvae in containers.
Where else to use it
Black is great for stone wall crevices, between pavers, in rock gardens and in shallow pots or troughs. Pair it with lighter green or blue hens and chicks for a checkerboard effect, or with gravel and a single lavender in a container for a tiny dry garden on a patio.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really black?
The leaf tips are a deep black-red, and the centers stay green. Color is darkest in cool weather and full sun.
Is it hardy in Michigan?
Yes. It is fully hardy and evergreen in zones 3 to 8, as long as drainage is excellent.
Why did one rosette die after blooming?
That is normal. Each rosette flowers once, then dies and is replaced by its offsets.
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