Here we go again. Just as the Sempervivum heuffelii Unknown #5 was finishing up its bloom in late July 2026, followed soon by the demise of the main plant, Sempervivum Chick Charms 'Powdered Pastry' started showing definite signs of flowering. The original post was July 28 and the most recent update is September 16.
- April 11 - 'Powdered Pastry' initial photo.
- July 5 - 'Powdered Pastry' is filling up its 6-inch pot.
- July 16 - 'Powdered Pastry' gets repotted into an 8-inch.
- July 28 - The changes begin.
- July 30 - There are seven strong offsets to take over when the time comes.
- July 31 - More growth.
- August 2 - The changes are apparent from day-to-day.
- August 3 - Focus stacking.
- August 8 - Sculpture.
- August 11 - Blossom.
- August 12 - Three blossoms.
- August 23 - Still going.
- August 30 - Branching.
- September 5 - Red stem.
- September 16 - Checking in.
April 11
The Sempervivum Chick Charms 'Powdered Pastry' was purchased at Nana's Bloomers in Laurel, MT on April 8. Three days later it was potted up and this image was taken.
July 5
By July, 'Powdered Pastry' was straining the limits of its 6-inch pot.
July 16
The plant was potted up to an 8-inch terra cotta. It's hard to tell for certain from an overhead shot, but there is no indication of a flower bud in the middle. Sometimes Sempervivums take forever to do anything, then things happen quickly. The plant was out in the sun since this, so the color shifted from green to more burgundy in the following weeks.
July 28
Here is the first indication something is happening as the center started to swell.
July 30
More growth of the bud in the past two days.
'Powdered Pastry' has seven strong offsets to take over when the main plant goes away.
July 31
There's no denying it now.
August 2
We are at the stage where changes are evident day-to-day. The flower stem keeps growing. This is a golden light shot just before sunset accentuated by the smoke in the air.
August 3
I did some focus stacking of 'Powdered Pastry' today to bring more of the image into focus. I did it inside because it was cold and windy, more like May than August. First is a profile, then a closeup of the developing flower bud.
August 8
This is such an elegant-looking plant, with its flower stalk it looks like a sculpture. The first image is from today, the second is from yesterday.
August 11
It is images like this that make me even more of a Sempervivum fan. I posted this on Facebook and someone thought it was an arrangement of several plants. The offsets are still attached, so it is one plant, arranged by nature.
August 12
Two more flowers have opened.
August 23
We were gone for about a week and the 'Powdered Pastry' continued its flowering.
I don't really want to do "Death of a Sempervivum part III" but 'Cosmic Candy' is starting to show a baby bump.
August 30
The flower stalk has split into five branches. The newest flowers are on the tips, with seed pods trailing behind.
September 5
The five branches of the flower stalk continue to lengthen with the flowers on the tips. The stalk is deep red in contrast to the green of the seven offsets.
September 16
Checking in on 'Powdered Pastry,' there are still some nice blooms on the ends of the stalks. The center is fading away and the offsets now rival it in size.
