Practical
Plants

Sempervivum arachnoideum

Cobweb Houseleek

a perennial evergreen member of the Sempervivum genus in the family Crassulaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
0.1 m
Spread
0.15 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are emollient, haemostatic, ophthalmic and sedative[5]. The crushed plant, or its juice, is applied externally to boils, wounds etc and is also used to stop nose bleeds[5]. The slightly warmed juice has been used to relieve ear inflammations and toothaches can be relieved by chewing on the leaves[5]. When macerated and infused in vinegar, the plant can be used to get rid of warts and corns[5]. The leaves are harvested in the summer and are best used when fresh since they are difficult to dry properly[5]. The leaf pulp is used to make a cooling face mask for reddened or sunburnt skin[5].

Product or use
Emollient
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Odontalgic
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Sedative
Product or use
Skin

Environment

Range
Europe.
Habitat
Amongst rocks and stones in the cooler regions of Europe, usually on siliceous soils[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - surface sow in early spring in a cold frame. It usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 10°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer if they have made sufficient growth, otherwise grow them on for a further year in pots before planting them out[K]. Division of offsets in spring or early summer. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer. Plants can also be divided in September but these divisions should be overwintered in a greenhouse. Stem cuttings.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a well-drained gritty soil in full sun[3]. Succeeds in any sandy soil, doing well in very little soil in rock crevices, walls, paths etc so long as there is sufficient humus[1][3]. Prefers growing on acid rocks, though it also succeeds on calcareous ones[4]. Established plants are drought tolerant[3]. Strongly dislikes winter wet[3]. Plants are not very tolerant of weed competition[K]. Polymorphic, this species is split into a number of sub-species by some botanists[3]. Individual rosettes die after flowering, but produce a number of offsets that continue to grow[2]. Hybridizes with a number of other members of this genus[3].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

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  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  4. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩

  5. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

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