Common houseleek Sempervivum tectorum
Common houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) is an evergreen perennial groundcover in the Crassulaceae family, native to Mountains of southern and central Europe (Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Balkans). It grows 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tall and 20–40 cm (8–16 in) wide, wants full sun and low water, and is hardy to about -34 °C (-29 °F). Space plants about 20 cm (8 in) apart.
Plan Common houseleek in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Common houseleek at a glance
| Type | Perennial groundcover, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Crassulaceae |
| Mature height | 10–15 cm (4–6 in) |
| Mature spread | 20–40 cm (8–16 in) |
| Spacing | 20 cm (8 in) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 6 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | Low; drought tolerance high, waterlogging tolerance none |
| Soil pH | 6–8 |
| Cold hardiness | About -34 °C (-29 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 4) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 34 °C (93 °F) |
| Flowering | from about July for 4–9 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones) |
| Wind tolerance | Moderate |
| Pollinator value | Moderate |
| Edible | Not grown as food |
| Native to | Mountains of southern and central Europe (Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Balkans) |
| Common in gardens of | 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇫🇷 France |
Is Common houseleek toxic?
- People: not well documented
- Cats: not well documented
- Dogs: not well documented
Leaf sap is used topically in folk medicine; toxicity data are limited and the ASPCA does not list it.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Common houseleek
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and low water.
See Common houseleek in a botanical garden
It grows in these sample gardens, which you can walk through in 3D:
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden (10 plants)
- Denver Botanic Gardens (24 plants)
- New York Botanical Garden (20 plants)
- Jardin botanique de Montréal (24 plants)
- Kew: glasshouses and rock garden (14 plants)
Questions about Common houseleek
- How far apart should I plant Common houseleek?
- About 20 cm (8 in) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 20–40 cm (8–16 in).
- Does Common houseleek need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Common houseleek need?
- Low water. Drought tolerance is high and waterlogging tolerance none.
- How cold-hardy is Common houseleek?
- It tolerates about -34 °C (-29 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 4.
- When does Common houseleek flower?
- From about July for 4–9 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Common houseleek poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not well documented; for dogs not well documented; for people not well documented. Leaf sap is used topically in folk medicine; toxicity data are limited and the ASPCA does not list it.
- What grows well with Common houseleek?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Common houseleek. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (low).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade C (C: plausible, mixed evidence).
- RHS Plant Finder, Royal Horticultural Society
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Missouri Botanical Garden
- Plants of the World Online (taxonomy, native range), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Notes and assumptions
- Typical garden-form values; cultivars and local conditions differ.
- Each rosette flowers once, then dies, but offsets replace it so the colony persists.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Stonecrop (sedum) Hylotelephium spectabile
- Jade plant Crassula ovata
- Mexican snowball (echeveria) Echeveria elegans
- Roseroot Rhodiola rosea
- Ghost plant (mother-of-pearl plant) Graptopetalum paraguayense
- Moonstones (sugared almond plant) Pachyphytum oviferum
- Burro’s tail (donkey’s tail) Sedum morganianum
- Jelly bean plant (pork and beans) Sedum rubrotinctum