Chick Charms® Berry Bomb Hens & Chicks

Light Needs

Full Sun

(6+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

2 - 3 Inches

Mature Spread

6 - 12 Inches

Growing Zones

3 to 8

Chick Charms® Berry Bomb™ Hens & Chicks have deep red & burgundy leaves that that turn even darker in cold weather. Sempervivum 'Director Jacobs' stays low at about 2 to 3 inches tall, spreading 6 to 12 inches wide as chicks form around the main rosette. The pointed leaves can show olive green, red, purple, and frosty cilia depending on season and light, with the richest color in strong sun. Our landscape designer uses it in small planters and crevice plantings so the dark succulent color can anchor the whole arrangement.

This Chick Charms® selection is an evergreen, cold-hardy hens and chicks type with strong drought tolerance once established. Pink star-shaped flowers may rise above mature rosettes in summer, and the blooming hen will fade after flowering while the surrounding chicks continue growing. Chick Charms® Berry Bomb™ Hens & Chicks is deer resistant, rabbit resistant, heat tolerant, pet safe, and easy to propagate from offsets. Plant it in rock gardens, wall pockets, dry borders, roof gardens, troughs, patio bowls, and sunny edging where soil drains sharply.

Chick Charms® Berry Bomb™ Hens & Chicks Care

Plant Chick Charms® Berry Bomb™ Hens & Chicks in full sun to mostly sun for the deepest red and purple foliage. It grows best in gritty, rocky, sandy, or lean soil with excellent drainage. Acidic to neutral soil is acceptable, but wet soil during winter can lead to its demise.

Water after planting, then allow the soil to dry well before the next soaking. Established plants need little water in the ground, though container plantings may need weekly watering during hot, dry weather. Fertilizer is usually unnecessary, and rich feeding can lead to weaker rosettes. Use gravel mulch around the crowns to keep leaves dry above damp soil.

Remove dried lower leaves when they pull away easily. After a mature rosette flowers, cut out the spent bloom stalk and declining hen so nearby chicks have room to fill the opening. In rainy winter climates, place containers under a roof edge or use raised, gravelly beds to keep moisture from collecting around the crowns.

Chick Charms® Berry Bomb™ Hens & Chicks Spacing

Space Chick Charms® Berry Bomb™ Hens & Chicks 6 to 8 inches apart for edging, wall plantings, and tight succulent groupings. Allow 8 to 10 inches between plants if you want the rosettes to expand into separate clusters. For containers, choose a shallow pot at least 6 to 8 inches wide with drainage holes, and use a gritty cactus or succulent mix.

In sunny rock gardens, set Chick Charms® Berry Bomb™ Hens & Chicks near ice plants and blanket flowers, which handle lean soil and add low flower color around the burgundy rosettes. Bluebeard can stand behind a larger dry border, adding late-season bloom above the succulent layer. In containers, use marigold in a nearby pocket of slightly richer mix, keeping the hens and chicks highest and driest in the arrangement.

There are 18 different Chick Charms that come in a variety of colors. We recommend planting several types with different colors together and watching them spread through the garden. The plants are evergreen and will provide color.

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