Sempervivum

ATLANTICUM

This is the only representative of the genus to be found in the African Continent; Great Atlas mountains of Morocco. When it was first collected in 1871 by J.D. Hooker, Maw and Ball, it was described as a variety or subspecies of S. tectorum, to which it only bears a superfical likeness. The rosettes are 4 to 8 cm in diameter, suberect, often lop-sided and asymmetrical, pale green. Flushed red when grown fully exposed to sun. The rosette leaves are pubescent on both faces and abruptly contracted at the tips. Offsets are produced freely on very short stolons so that the plant forms a regular hump of rosettes. Flower-stems are 15 to 25 cm high, having the tendency to produce flower-buds in the upper leaf-axils. Cauline leaves usually coloured bronze-red. Petals pale pink with a deep pink median band; filaments are crimson, anthers dull green. The flowers are rarely produced under cultivation. Easy species to cultivate although not too hardy in the severest winters.

  Permission to use this book for publication on ICNet is much appreciated.  

« back