Sempervivum 'Red Beauty'

Sempervivum 'Red Beauty': A Rosette Radiating Colour and Charm

True to its name, Sempervivum 'Red Beauty' dazzles with vibrant rosettes that deepen to rich scarlet and burgundy tones in cool weather. Each tightly packed rosette is symmetrical and bold, adding year-round structure and colour to dry, sunny spaces. Compact and steadily offsetting, this hens-and-chicks variety is ideal for small pockets, gravel beds, or troughs, where its form and colour can shine. In summer, mature rosettes send up soft pink bloom stalks, adding an unexpected layer of whimsy and seasonal interest.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 5–10 cm (rosettes), up to 20 cm in bloom
• Spread: 15–25 cm, offsetting clump
• Flower Colour: Soft pink (on flowering rosettes)
• Flowering Period: Midsummer
• Foliage: Deep red to burgundy rosettes; colour intensifies with cool temperatures
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun
• Soil Requirements: Very well-drained, sandy or rocky soil

Uses and Benefits: Sempervivum 'Red Beauty' is an excellent choice for alpine troughs, stone walls, dry borders, and xeriscapes. Its evergreen rosettes add architectural clarity and vivid colour in all seasons. Hardy and drought tolerant, it thrives in lean soil and needs little maintenance—making it a perfect plant for hot, dry, and exposed sites with excellent drainage.

Companion Plants: Combine 'Red Beauty' with Sedum 'Blue Spruce' for a striking play of blue-green texture against deep red rosettes. Introduce Gaillardia 'Mesa Red' for bold, ruby-toned blooms that echo the sempervivum’s intensity while drawing in pollinators. Soften and frame the planting with Sporobolus heterolepis, whose airy, fragrant seed heads sway gracefully through late summer and fall.

Care Instructions: Plant in full sun with sharp drainage. Water only occasionally once established—overwatering is the most common cause of decline. Remove spent bloom stalks and tidy dry foliage in spring. Offsets can be divided and replanted to spread or renew the display.

History: A selected cultivar from the cold-hardy Sempervivum group, 'Red Beauty' is prized for its reliable colour shifts and refined, symmetrical form. Descended from mountain-dwelling species of Europe, it continues to be a favourite for dryland and alpine gardens around the world.

Final Thoughts: Vivid and enduring, Sempervivum 'Red Beauty' adds sculptural grace and rich colour to even the most rugged settings—a striking, low-maintenance gem for every sunny space.