Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Purple Beauty Hen and Chicks: Purple-Tipped Stars Among Lavender
Save
Purple Beauty hen and chicks forms medium-sized, semi-open rosettes, 2 to 3 inches across, of thick, pointed leaves with green centers and deep purple tips. The purple is strongest on the outer leaves and deepens in cool weather and full sun, so a cluster looks like a scatter of green stars edged in purple.
The main rosette, the hen, sends out smaller chicks around it. They love lean, gravelly, sun-baked ground, which is exactly what lavender loves too.
Purple Beauty at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Sempervivum 'Purple Beauty' |
| Foliage | Green centers with deep purple tips, evergreen |
| Rosettes | Medium-sized, semi-open, 2 to 3 inches across |
| Size | Clusters 3 to 4 inches tall, 6 to 8 inches wide, spreading by offsets |
| Flowers | Occasional star-shaped flowers on a short stalk in summer |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Resistant |
Little rosettes, big contrast
Lavender is upright, airy and fine-textured. Hen and chicks is flat, fleshy and geometric. Tucked along the edge of a lavender bed, between stepping stones or into a gravel mulch around lavender, Purple Beauty makes a low, sculptural carpet that shows off the lavender above it. The purple tips pick up the color of the lavender flowers.
Because the clusters are only a few inches tall, they never compete for light. Keep them a short step away from the woody base of each lavender so air can still move around the crown. Plan it out in the Companion Plant Planner.
Sharp drainage, little water
- Soil: poor to average with sharp drainage: gravel, sandy soil, rock crevices or a shallow container.
- Water: very little. Constant wet plus humidity causes rot, so avoid heavy soil and overhead watering.
- Summer heat: rosettes may close up and lose some color in the hottest weeks, then recover in fall.
- Pests: watch for mealybugs and vine weevil larvae.
- Winter: fully hardy in Michigan and evergreen. Do not mulch over the rosettes.
When a hen flowers
Now and then a mature rosette sends up a stalk of star-shaped flowers in summer. That rosette dies after flowering, which is normal. Cut off the spent stalk, pull out the old rosette and let the surrounding chicks fill the gap. You can also lift extra chicks at any time and replant them elsewhere, which is how one plant slowly becomes a whole edging.
About the bare root plant
Purple Beauty is offered as a bare root plant. Set the rosette on top of gritty soil with the roots just covered, firm it gently and water lightly. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow hen and chicks in a pot?
Yes. A shallow container with a gritty mix and a drainage hole suits it perfectly, and it can sit right beside potted lavender.
Why is my Purple Beauty more green than purple?
The purple deepens in cool weather and full sun. In the heat of summer or in partial shade, rosettes can look greener.
Share how it went in your field