Chick Charms® Autumn Apple Hens and Chicks

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

6-11 Inches

Mature Spread

6-11 Inches

Growing Zones

3 to 8

Hens and chicks are sought after by collectors due to the explosion of colors and sizes available to the home gardener. Chick Charms® offers a range of intense colors to fit into your outdoor decorating scheme. Autumn Apple™ Hens and Chicks features deep jade leaves edged in an apple-red hue. The red margins expand and get more intense in cooler temperatures and through the winter. Like other types of Sempervivum, Chick Charms® Hens and chicks are fully winter hardy down to USDA zone 3. These maintenance-free succulents are perfect for gardeners of all skill levels. 

Hens and Chicks are not bothered by many pests or diseases. They are almost invisible to deer and rabbits, making them a good choice in areas with high deer populations. Sempervivum is versatile and fits well in a rock garden, container garden, hanging basket, table display, or border planting. They can be combined with other plants for a cottage garden feel or grown in large groups of the same color to give a modern and minimalistic feeling to your outdoor space. 

Chick Charms® Autumn Apple™ Hens and Chicks Care

Hens and Chicks will grow well in full sun or part shade as long as the soil is well draining and not heavy clay. Topdress with gravel or pumice after planting to keep mud from splashing on plants during rainstorms or watering sessions. Fertilizing is rarely required and can promote leggy or elongated growth. Water during the initial planting and once every week until the plants are well established. Container-grown hens and chicks will continue to need water but on a 2-3 week schedule depending on the summertime temperatures in your climate. 

Hens and chicks will send up flower spikes later in the summer. Often the blooms will die back on their own as the temperatures cool in the fall with no need for deadheading. Any spent foliage can be cleared late in the winter to prepare for the new season's growth. 

New plantlets (chicks) appear regularly once the plants are established. These can be left to root in the ground or snipped off the mother plant when roots begin to appear. Gently separate the new chicks and place them on top of a 4-inch pot filled with a fast-draining potting mix. A top dressing of perlite or horticultural grit helps to retain moisture in the soil until the plants have fully rooted. Water sparingly but regularly to keep the potting mix as wet as a wrung-out sponge. 

Chick Charms® Autumn Apple™ Hens and Chicks Spacing

Autumn Apple will reach an overall height of 3 inches and an eventual spread of 12 inches when it begins to produce chicks. Space plants 6 inches apart when planting in a garden bed to provide a ground cover effect. Wider spacing allows each plant to stand out as a specimen. Virtually any size container can be used to plant Hens and Chicks as long as it has excellent bottom drainage. Plants can be placed side by side for a full effect or grown singly in shallow bowls or saucers for a sculptural look.

SKU:

SEMATP