Houseleek – Red: Colour That Lasts All Year
Red houseleek is a hardy succulent that brings deep, lasting colour without a single petal. Its tight rosettes of fleshy, pointed leaves turn wine red, ruby and rust, and the colour is at its richest when the plant sits in full sun and through the cold months of winter. Named forms such as 'Red Rubin', 'Othello' and 'Rubin' are chosen for exactly this foliage. Sempervivum means 'always alive', and the plant has earned the name by thriving for centuries on cottage roofs, dry-stone walls and rockeries all over Britain.
Foliage First
Unlike a cut flower, a houseleek is grown for its rosettes rather than its blooms. In summer a mature rosette may push up a stout stem topped with a cluster of star-shaped pink flowers; that rosette dies afterwards, but the offsets around it carry on, so the plant spreads into a colourful mat. There's no scent to speak of, which makes it ideal for anyone who finds strongly fragrant flowers too much.
Care and Safety
Red houseleek thrives on neglect: a bright, sunny spot, gritty free-draining compost and very little water are all it asks. It stands outdoors all year through frost and rain, and the only real way to lose one is to overwater it. It is regarded as non-toxic to cats and dogs, so it can safely stand where pets roam.
A Living Gift
Red houseleek is a thoughtful alternative to a bouquet: a housewarming present, a gift for a gardener, or a small token that will still be growing years from now. Potted in a terracotta bowl with a few offsets around it, it looks good on a doorstep, a windowsill or a balcony table.
