Hens and chicks
Sempervivum tectorum
Also called Houseleek and Liveforever
Houseplant · Succulents & cactiHardy enough to live outdoors all winter. Inside it wants the very brightest sill you have.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 20 daysSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 90 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Very hardy RHS H7, to -25°C
- Size
- 0.1 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- European mountains
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- The centre of a rosette goes translucent and grey after a wet spell — cold is not what kills it, standing water is.Rot under winter wet · disorder