Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
South Africa
Southern Europe, Western Europe
Types
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Sempervivum altum, Sempervivum davisii, Sempervivum juvanii
Number of Varieties
740
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
limestone outcrops, Rocky areas, Stone and Masonry fences and walls
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-115-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
365.76 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Blue Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Blue Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Blue Green, Burgundy
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
20-20-20 amount, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Mealybugs, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic
Antipruritic, Astringent, Diuretic, Odontalgic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood
Leaves
Other Uses
Used for woodware
Cosmetics, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Groundcover, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BERZELIA lanuginosa
SEMPERVIVUM calcareum
Common Name
Buttonbush
Houseleek, Common houseleek
In Hindi
Buttonbush shrub
houseleek
In German
Button Strauch
Hauswurz
In French
buttonbush arbuste
joubarbe
In Spanish
arbusto buttonbush
houseleek
In Greek
Buttonbush θάμνος
houseleek
In Portuguese
arbusto Buttonbush
houseleek
In Polish
Buttonbush krzew
houseleek
In Latin
Frutex Buttonbush
AMERIMNON
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rubiales
Rosales
Family
Bruniaceae
Crassulaceae
Genus
Cephalanthus
Sempervivum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Sedeae
Subfamily
-
Sedoideae
Number of Species
1240
1
27800
👆🏻