In general, these rosettes are hardy evergreen, clump-forming succulent plants which originate in the alpine regions of the Balkan Mountains to the eastern Carpathians. The foliage can vary from orange-yellow, to crimson, violet, and green. The leaves may look smooth and shiny or they may be plush and velvety. The flowers are ordinary, mostly yellowish and bell-shaped and attract large numbers of pollinating insects. The plants are grown for the showy foliage rather than the flowers. As in Sempervivum, the Jovi heuffs are also monocarpic, meaning the rosette dies after flowering. Its progeny quickly fills in the void created by the dead rosette.
Jovibarba heuffelii may easily be propagated by seeds or divisions (see earlier blog post). The plants cross readily and are prolific seed producers. Unless you are controlling the pollination, expect that seedlings from hybrid plants will look different from the mother plant. As one would expect, any plant which crosses easily results in a huge number of hybrids. Jovi heuff is no exception. Jovi heuffs in general, will not produce offsets at the terminus of stolons like most Sempervivum, but will form new rosettes in a sessile fashion (ok, it’s between the leaves).
Culture of Jovibarba heuffelii is quite easy. They require soil with exceptional drainage and good light exposure. They will appreciate a slow-release fertilizer in the spring. They can be grown in containers, but if left too long in the same container, they will liberate themselves by breaking the container. The main pests of Jovi heuffs are aphids, mealy bugs and rabbits (they will gnaw at the fleshy roots).
