If you don’t have much of a green thumb but you still want to be surrounded by greenery, succulents are a good plant choice since they tend to be low-maintenance, pretty hardy, and very easy to care for (read: not easy to kill). Hens and chicks succulents are some of the best varieties in my opinion, particularly because they’re so vibrant and offer so much more than meets the eye.
- Why are they called hens and chicks succulents? It’s a strange name for a plant, but the reason is simple: these succulents, which are part of the Sempervivum group, tend to produce lots of babies which you can then plant elsewhere. That means from one “hen,” you can get loads of “chicks” to replant elsewhere. How cool is that?
- Hens and chicks succulents do well in pretty much all conditions. Whether you’re growing them indoors or out and live in a hot or cold climate, these plants will be able to thrive either way. According to Gardening Know How, they do particularly well in “nutrient-challenged locations.” As long as they get plenty of sun and don’t get watered often, they’ll be just fine.
- They’re pretty easy to get a hold of. Most nurseries will sell hens and chicks succulents, so getting your hands on a few shouldn’t be difficult at all. This is definitely a good thing since there’s nothing worse than having to seek out rare seeds. Instead, you can get an already growing plant to continue nurturing at home.
- Hens and chicks succulents can be kept with other, similar plants. If you like a little variation in your life, you can plant these succulents alongside cacti and other varieties of succulents that do well with little water. In other words, if you have a few pots and some topsoil, you can really let your gardening creativity shine here.
- The plants will last you for years to come! While the mother “hen” succulent will only live 4 to 6 years, you then have the babies that can continue to live on for the same period of time. You should be removing the “chicks” from the plant at least every two years so they don’t get overcrowded, but other than that, you’re good. For more info on how to keep and care for these plants, visit Gardening Know How HERE.
