My Babies . . .
April 13, 2008 – 10:23 pmStill not feeling like venturing further from the sofa than the kitchen or the porch, but I figured I would snap a couple of shots of my ‘babies’ while it was still dry outside. For those who aren’t familiar with my babies yet, these are Sempervivum - small succulents belonging to the flowering plant family Crassulaceae, native to Europe and northern Africa. They grow close to the ground with leaves formed around each other in a rosette, and propagating by offsets. The ‘hen’ is the main plant, and the ‘chicks’ are the offspring, which start as tiny buds on the main plant and soon sprout their own roots, taking up residence close to the mother plant. They are commonly known as "Hens and Chicks". I have been growing them for about three years, my originals being from my mother’s garden. Throughout the years, I have collected others from various places (my father-in-law’s, friends, stores) and have attempted to keep them alive. They are fairly easy to care for and actually seem to do better when you almost completely ignore them.
I especially love this last picture. I am so amazed by some of the plants that literally sacrifice themselves for their babies.(The smaller plant in the middle. Keep in mind, these plants are currently the size of nickels) They don’t ever grow to a normal size, and are nearly overtaken by their offspring. Maternal love, even in plants.
