Sempervivum 'Virgil' is a houseleek for people who notice colour. Its tightly packed rosettes shift through grey-blue, dusky pink and smoky purple as the weather changes, so a pot of it looks subtly different in March from how it looked in August.
Care is the same as for any hardy houseleek, which our general guide covers in depth. This page concentrates on what makes 'Virgil' worth growing in its own right, including how its colour moves through the year, how to show it off and which plants bring out its tones. We have also been honest about the gaps in what is reliably recorded for this cultivar.
Sempervivum 'Virgil' at a glance
- Botanical name Sempervivum 'Virgil' (a garden hybrid, parentage not reliably recorded)
- Common name Houseleek 'Virgil', hens and chicks
- Plant type Evergreen, mat-forming succulent alpine
- Hardiness RHS H5 (about -10 to -15C), with good drainage
- Height and spread Rosettes stay low, roughly 7 to 15cm including flower stems, clumps slowly spreading to 30cm or more
- Flowering Summer, starry pink flowers on stout stems from mature rosettes only
- Foliage Grey-blue to dusky pink rosettes with reddish tips, flushing blue-purple in cold weather and bright light
- Position Full sun
- Soil Gritty, very free-draining, any pH
- Good for Troughs, shallow pans, wall tops, scree, gravel gardens and mixed houseleek displays
What we know, and what we do not
'Virgil' is a named garden hybrid rather than a wild species, and like many of the hundreds of houseleek cultivars, its breeder and parentage are not well documented in sources we trust. The RHS describes it as an evergreen, mat-forming alpine with dusky pink rosettes and reddish tips that can turn blue-purple depending on temperature and light, and rates it H5.
Published sizes are vague. UK nurseries list it at roughly 7 to 15cm tall when flowering, and we have not found a dependable figure for rosette width, which in any case varies with how lean or rich the compost is. Expect a medium-sized rosette that forms a tidy clump over a few years rather than a giant or a miniature.
A year of changing colour
Houseleek colour comes from pigments the leaves produce under stress, mainly bright light and cold nights. 'Virgil' responds strongly, so where you grow it and the time of year both shape how it looks.
Late winter and spring usually bring the richest tones, as cold nights and lengthening days push the rosettes towards purple and deep rose. Through the heat of summer, fast growth tends to soften them to grey-blue with pink at the tips. Autumn often brings a second flush of colour, and in the depths of winter the rosettes close up tightly and can look darker and duller until spring returns.
- Full sun gives the strongest pink and purple, while shade leaves it green-grey and loose.
- Lean, gritty compost holds colour far better than rich, fed compost.
- A newly arrived or freshly divided rosette may look pale for a few weeks while it settles.
Care in brief
Plant in full sun in a gritty mix of roughly half grit to half loam-based compost, and topdress with fine gravel so the rosettes never sit on wet soil. Water pots only when the compost has been dry for a while in summer, and not at all in winter unless they are under cover. Skip the fertiliser.
Although 'Virgil' copes with hard frost, winter wet is its main enemy, so raise containers on feet and avoid saucers. For compost recipes, propagation and the details that apply to all houseleeks, our sempervivum care guide has everything in one place.
Showing off the rosettes
Because the appeal of 'Virgil' is in its colour and symmetry, display it where you can look down on it at close range. A wide, shallow terracotta pan on a table or wall top is ideal, and the warm orange of the clay sets off the grey-blue leaves.
Dark grey or charcoal gravel makes the pink tips glow, while pale limestone chippings emphasise the blue. Old stone sinks, zinc trays and even a cracked teapot work well, as long as there is a drainage hole. A single clump left to fill a pan for three or four years is more striking than many separate small pots.
Pairing it with other plants
Contrast is what makes 'Virgil' stand out. Plant it beside bright green or lime houseleeks, or next to golden sedums such as Sedum rupestre 'Angelina', and its smoky tones look deeper by comparison. White-webbed cobweb houseleeks add a fine texture that suits its smooth leaves.
For a softer, tonal look, group it with silver and blue plants such as Sedum 'Blue Spruce', small grey-leaved thymes or Sedum spathulifolium 'Cape Blanco'. Avoid crowding it with fast, sprawling sedums, which will smother the rosettes within a season.
Offsets, flowers and filling a trough
Each rosette sends out short runners topped with small offsets, which root as soon as they touch soil. Detach and replant them in spring or early summer to spread 'Virgil' along a trough or wall, keeping a few attached so the parent clump stays full.
After a few years, a mature rosette elongates into a stout stem bearing starry pink flowers in summer, then dies, which is normal for houseleeks. Twist out the spent rosette once the stem browns and the surrounding offsets soon close the gap.
Keeping the colour clean
Vine weevil grubs can eat the roots of potted houseleeks, so check any rosette that lifts away easily. The RHS also notes susceptibility to houseleek rust, which shows as stretched rosettes with orange pustules, and to sempervivum leaf miner. Remove affected rosettes promptly.
Fading colour on its own is rarely a pest problem. It usually means too little sun, too much water or compost that is too rich, and the fix is a brighter, leaner home. Houseleeks are generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets.
Questions about Sempervivum 'Virgil'
Why has my Sempervivum Virgil turned green?
Lack of light is the usual cause, often combined with rich compost or generous watering. Move it into full sun and let it dry out between waterings, and the pink and purple tones should return within a few weeks, especially as nights cool in autumn or spring.
Is Sempervivum Virgil hardy in the UK?
Yes, the RHS rates it H5, hardy to around -10 to -15C, which covers most British winters. Wet is the bigger risk than cold, so make sure the compost drains freely and pots are raised off the ground.
What colour is Sempervivum Virgil?
It ranges from grey-blue through dusky pink to blue-purple, usually with reddish leaf tips. The exact shade depends on light, temperature and how lean the compost is, so the same plant can look quite different from season to season.
'Virgil' rewards a sunny spot and a little patience with colour that changes every time you look. Find it alongside other houseleeks grown outdoors on our Lincolnshire farm in the sempervivum collection.