This summer my usual practice is to give the succulents on the back patio a once-over in the evening, just to see if something interesting has happened. Today was jackpot day. The first flower bud on the Sempervivum Chick Charms 'Powdered Pastry' has opened.
These images also are posted on the static page "Death of a Sempervivum, part II" where you can read more about how we got to this point.
There was a time in the spring when the Sempervivums weren't doing much when I wondered if it was worth it. But when I see what has happened this summer, it is worth it. 'Powdered Pastry' is the superstar, but 'Lotus Blossom' is an offsetting machine, and the Little Survivor #1 is not so little any more (it's bigger than the main 'Hurricane' rosette). 'Gold Nugget' (both of them), Unknown #6, and even 'Strawberry Kiwi' (which recently I demoted from the big grow bag) have turned amazing shades of burgundy just in the past couple weeks. And of course Unknown #5 was the first to flower, although not as spectacularly as 'Powdered Pastry.' I'm lazy and just took a group photo today of the patio Semps mixed in with a few Echeveria. I won't be able to take more portraits for a week, but I'm hoping the deep burgundy colors will hold through August.
This image from not even two weeks ago, July 30, shows plants that are a lot more green. Just compare the 'Gold Nugget' in the ribbed pot at the top of both images.
