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This little succulent plant welcomes spring each year with an early bouquet of delicate pink flowers. Not just amazing for their unique growing shapes, succulents can also add bright colors to your garden with their one-of-a-kind flowers.This compact succulent is aptly named Crassula 'Springtime'. With the majority of succulent plants blooming in the summer, this one makes a great addition to containers for a bit of early color. Flowers will begin to appear between late winter and early sprin

There are several plant varieties that are referred to as "hens and chicks." Sometimes it is difficult to tell them apart. Sempervivum and Jovibarba plants for example look almost identical, but their flowers are completely distinct. Botanists actually use a plants flowers more than the plant itself to distinguish/classify plants. See the difference in flowers below. The Jovibarba succulent flower is generally yellowish with closed petals. Sempervivum on the other hand have an open, star

Last weekend I went to a workshop about hybridizing hens and chicks with Kevin Vaughn. Kevin is a geneticist. He has been working with hens and chicks for about 50 years. In the world of Sempervivum it was like discussing governments with John Adams and hearing him tell stories about the other founding fathers. Hybridizers have a very unique way of looking at plants. Most of us see a plant/flower as something fixed. A red flower is a red flower. A white flower is a white flower. Hybridizers

Hens and Chicks. This is the common name used to refer to Sempervivum, Jovibarba, and Echeveria. Sempervivum and Jovibarba are very similar. So similar that it can often be difficult to distinguish between them. Although most of the characteristics and care requirements of Sempervivum and Jovibarba are identical, there are a couple identifying traits. Jovibarba are a separate plant genus from Sempervivum. They come from the alpine regions of southeastern Europe making them extremely cold ha

Succulents are typically grown for their foliage. The unique shapes and leaf colors are the main attraction for these plants. However, succulents also display pretty little flowers. Because the foliage of succulents is so showy, it is commonly mistaken for a flower. Colorful Echeveria plants are frequently used in bouquets and flower arrangements where they are called “echeveria flowers.” These are the plants, not the flowers. Succulent plant flowers are typically dainty and grow on a flowe