Lately it has given us by the succulent plants that in all the history of Gardenprue we have not left much space to this great family. We already published articles on xerogardening and how to get a garden with minimal amounts of water, for those climates with reduced rainfall.

Today we bring you a plant from this family that is truly curious. Sempervivum arachnoideum . By name it is clear that it refers to arachnids, but why?

BRIEF NOTES ON SEMPERVIVUM ARACHNOIDEUM

If there is one characteristic that attracts the attention of this species of the genus Sempervivum , it is the fluff or spiderweb-shaped villi that grows in the rosette of leaves that make up this crassulaceous.

These villi can cover almost the entire plant. Throughout history this S empervivum has been hybridized in an innumerable way , being able to choose today an infinite number of varieties. But how is this fluff formed?

Being a rosette, the leaves are coming out from the center of the plant. This protective lint is concentrated precisely in the center of the rosette. When new leaves come out, the older ones are pushed outwards, which take part of this protective tissue with them on the pointed ends of the leaves, forming, at the end, a mesh joined from the tips of the leaves towards the center.

The result is surprising.

It is native to southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East mainly. The rosettes generally exceed 5 cm, although they colonize and cover the soil where they are very well, not being visible due to the dense mantle they form.

It could not be considered invasive because it is not difficult to control (it is slow growing) in a rockery or stony garden , which is where they thrive.

It blooms in summer although the first flowering takes forever.

CLIMATIC AND CULTIVATION CONDITIONS OF SEMPERVIVUM ARACHNOIDEUM

We have written a lot about plant and crop care and it is very possible that this plant breaks the record for ease of care . He does not want irrigation, he does not care about the cold and the ground does not matter to him. He just wants sun and good drainage. Let’s see it in detail.

CLIMATE AND SOIL

If this plant stands out in something, apart from its tangled rosettes, it is its rusticity in terms of soil and climate . It supports intense frosts and is also from arid climates, with little rainfall, withstanding drought very well. The redness of the tips in some varieties is accentuated by intense cold.

The soil indicated for this crassulaceae is rocky, stony, loose and even poor in nutrients and structure. The only peculiarity is to avoid badly drained or heavy soils . It has a continental or alpine climate. It needs to be exposed to sunlight.

IRRIGATION AND SUBSCRIBER

In summer it may require very infrequent to infrequent watering , depending on the intensity of the heat. That is, water almost nothing. In winter, suppress watering completely. In this type of plants we always prefer to be short of water rather than excess. An excess moisture causes root rot and fungal diseases. No need to pay

MULTIPLICATION OF SEMPERVIVUM ARACHNOIDEUM

Like a large part of plants belonging to succulents, the division of shoots from the mother plant is usually a very recurrent method. It must be done carefully, making clean cuts with uncontaminated instruments.

The best time is the vegetative rest in winter . Sometimes a small fungicidal treatment on the cut wound may be advisable for a smooth healing.