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Jovibarba sobolifera

Common name:	Hen And Chickens Houseleek	Family:	Crassulaceae
Author:	(Sims.)Opiz.	Botanical references:	74, 200
Synonyms:	Sempervivum soboliferum (Sims.), Jovibarba globifera ((L.)J.Parn.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Europe to Asia.
Habitat:	Dry sandy sites, especially in pine forests and on limestone, also on rocky river banks[74].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	J. globifera subsp. globifera[G] Sempervivum globiferum[G]
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	sobolifer = bearing offshoots; sobolifera = bearing offshoots;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Rosales. Stonecrop family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen perennial growing to 0.1m by 0.2m . It is hardy to zone 5. It is in leaf all year, in flower in July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, In Walls, In East Wall, In West Wall.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Leaf rosettes and young shoots - raw[74].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any sandy soil[1]. Requires a gritty well-drained soil in full sun[200]. Succeeds on a wall[188].
Plants are hardy to about -15°c[200] so long as they are in a well-drained soil. They strongly dislike winter wet[200].
Individual offsets take several years to reach flowering size but then die after flowering, though more offsets are produced[188, 200].
This species does not hybridize naturally[1].

Propagation

Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest surface sowing the seed in a sunny position in a greenhouse in late winter or early spring. Do not allow the compost to become dry. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division of offsets in the summer[200].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Jovibarba globifera (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Jovibarba globifera subsp. globifera (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for the family Crassulaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers Comments

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Jovibarba+sobolifera
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Jovibarba+sobolifera

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.