Sempervivum 'Ruby Heart'

Sempervivum 'Ruby Heart': A Rosette with a Hidden Glow

Compact and richly coloured, Sempervivum 'Ruby Heart' forms perfect rosettes that reveal a glowing ruby-red centre surrounded by cool green outer leaves. This dramatic colour contrast intensifies with cooler temperatures, making each rosette a living jewel throughout the seasons. Slow to spread but reliably hardy, it creates neat clusters that provide year-round texture, structure, and subtle shifts in tone. A natural fit for rock gardens and alpine containers, it offers lasting beauty with minimal care.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 5–10 cm (rosettes), up to 20 cm in bloom
• Spread: 15–25 cm, offsetting over time
• Flower Colour: Soft pink (on mature rosettes)
• Flowering Period: Midsummer
• Foliage: Green outer leaves with deep ruby-red centres; intensifies in cool weather
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun
• Soil Requirements: Very well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil

Uses and Benefits: Sempervivum 'Ruby Heart' brings a vibrant yet tidy presence to alpine troughs, rock walls, green roofs, and dry border edges. Its contrasting tones provide interest in all seasons, while its low profile makes it perfect for detailed plantings. This sempervivum is highly drought tolerant and thrives in lean soil—an ideal choice for minimalist and water-wise designs that don’t sacrifice colour or form.

Companion Plants: Pair 'Ruby Heart' with Sedum 'Lime Zinger' for a refreshing contrast between ruby and lime-green succulent textures. Add the golden daisies of Coreopsis 'Early Sunrise' for a sunny, upright accent that brightens the planting. Weave in Sporobolus heterolepis to introduce soft, arching grasses that sway above the structure below, bringing movement and native charm.

Care Instructions: Grow in full sun with excellent drainage. Water sparingly, especially in humid conditions, and avoid overly rich soil. Remove old bloom stalks and gently tidy dead foliage as needed. Offsets can be detached and replanted to expand your colony or refresh the display.

History: 'Ruby Heart' is a standout cultivar selected from hardy alpine Sempervivum species for its bold bicolour rosettes and symmetrical habit. Bred for ornamental value and resilience, it thrives in climates with cold winters and dry summers, offering structure and colour in every season.

Final Thoughts: With its radiant centre and sculptural symmetry, Sempervivum 'Ruby Heart' is a small-scale stunner that brings quiet drama and lasting appeal to the sunniest, driest corners of the garden.