Question: what is the plural of Sempervivum? Anyway, the houseleeks all form tight rosettes of fleshy leaves, each rosette producing a number of offsets each year, so that a spreading, tight mat soon forms. After a few years a rosette may decide to flower, in which case it sends up a short stem, topped with a cluster of flowers, pink or yellow. It then dies, its place in the mat taken by youngsters. There are hundreds of named varieties, of which we offer some of the more distinctive ones, including some new varieties, bred by the late Matthew Ruane at Brynhyfryd Nursery. See also Jovibarba.

Sempervivum 'Reinhard' looks first class when it is in flower and when it isn't. It makes tight mats or mounds of bright green, shiny leaves, dark red at the tips. The flowers are pink with a red stripe along each petal, contrasting with a ring of yellow stamens. Each cluster of flowers is on a stem that is much more likely to stay upright than those of most other varieties.