Growing Hens And Chicks Indoors: Easy Beginner Guide

Growing hens and chicks indoors is one of the easiest ways to keep succulents alive in apartments, small spaces, and sunny windows.

These hardy Sempervivum plants tolerate dry air, missed waterings, and changing indoor conditions far better than many common houseplants.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to grow hens and chicks indoors, choose the best soil and light setup, avoid overwatering, and propagate new plants from offsets.

What Are Hens and Chicks?

Hens and Chicks is an alpine evergreen succulent. It is also known as houseleek and liveforever as its Latin name implies. There are about 50 species in the genus.

It grows in a rosette and produces smaller offsets (chicks) from the mother plant (hens) to me the plant somehow reminds me of a bird’s nest looking at it from above.

While it is very cold hardy and even tolerates snow and hard frost well it is often grown as a houseplant. Sempervivum – Wikipedia

Hens And Chicks Grow Great Inside And Outside

Hens and chicks are a type of succulent that is known for their ability to thrive in sunny, dry conditions.

These plants are native to the Mediterranean region, where they are often found growing on rocky slopes and hillsides.

Hens and chicks require very little water and can tolerate long periods of drought.

In terms of light, these plants prefer full sun but can also do well in partial shade.

Hens and chicks are relatively low-maintenance plants that make an excellent addition to any rock garden or xeriscape.

They are also well-suited for growing in containers as houseplants and will add interest to any porch or patio.

Finally, there is a houseplant that is almost impossible to kill!

Growing Hens And Chicks Indoors

If you have this plant growing outdoors there is no need to move it inside during the winter.

Most species are hardy down to -30° Fahrenheit. But you might want to bring some babies in for a houseplant.

We will tell you everything you need to know about growing Hens and Chicks indoors including light needs, watering and fertilizing, and more.

So read on for more details and don’t worry, you will be a Sempervivum expert when you’re done no green thumb needed.

Hens and Chicks Lighting

Hens and chicks prefer full sun. They can tolerate shade but will not grow as fast.

A south-facing window is perfect for them but you can also use LED grow lights to provide more light.

🏡 Best Places to Grow Hens and Chicks Indoors

• ☀️ South-facing windows
• 🪟 Bright apartment windowsills
• 🪴 Sunny plant shelves
• 💡 Under LED grow lights

Sempervivum Temperature

These plants are extremely hardy and one of the few succulents that can survive ice and snow. They are hardy to about -30° Fahrenheit.

But you will want to keep them warmer and hopefully, your house or apartment isn’t that cold. They will do fine at just 65-75°.

Hens and Chicks Soil

Many people recommend cactus or succulent soil for these plants. Whatever you use it should be well draining.

I used to use them but now I grow all my houseplants in coco coir. It holds moisture well and yet drains fast.

It also is lighter and does not compact like some potting mixes. The flowering Sempervivium in this picture is growing in pure coco coir.

There is a pebble mulch on top but it is not needed. You can mix coco coir with perlite to speed up drying time but it is not really necessary.

💧 Watering Hens and Chicks Indoors

Overwatering is the most common problem with indoor hens and chicks.

These succulents store water in their leaves and prefer soil that dries between waterings.

• 💧 Water thoroughly, then allow soil to dry almost completely
• 🪴 Always use containers with drainage holes
• 🚫 Avoid leaving pots sitting in water
• ❄️ Reduce watering during winter slower growth

If leaves become mushy or translucent, the plant is usually staying too wet.

Propagating Hens And Chicks

These plants are extremely easy to propagate. Simply separate “chicks” from their mother plant.

Choose offsets that have already rooted if possible.

If no rosettes have roots you can wait longer for them or carefully separate them and set them in moist coco coir to root.

There are some people that claim you can root Sempervivum from leaves but I don’t really think this works.

Besides they are so easy to propagate from rosettes that I can’t see any reason to do this.

Sempervivum Flowering

I have had these hens and chicks for quite a while but for some reason, they started to flower this year.

I don’t think this is something that happens very often and these plants are probably at least 5 years old.

The spikes are really cool looking. Unfortunately, I found out the plants die after flowering. Kind of sad but there are plenty of plants to take their place.

Growing Hens and Chicks Indoors FAQs

How much sunlight do hens and chicks need indoors?

Hens and chicks grow best in bright light and usually need several hours of direct sun indoors to stay compact and colorful.

How often should you water hens and chicks indoors?

Water only when the soil becomes mostly dry. Overwatering is far more dangerous than underwatering for these succulents.

Can hens and chicks survive indoors year-round?

Yes. With enough light and well-draining soil, hens and chicks can grow indoors year-round as low-maintenance houseplants.

Why are my hens and chicks stretching?

Stretching or leaning usually means the plant needs more light. Move it to a brighter window or use a grow light.

Are hens and chicks good beginner succulents?

Yes. Hens and chicks are one of the easiest beginner succulents because they tolerate drought, dry indoor air, and occasional neglect.

Growing Hens And Chicks Indoors Final Thoughts

Overall, growing hens and chicks indoors is a great way to improve your lifestyle.

These plants are easy to care for and can thrive in a wide range of conditions.

Additionally, they are known to be drought-tolerant and can survive with very little water.

Propagating these plants is also extremely easy, so you can have many plants to enjoy for many years to come.

If you are looking for a hardy and low-maintenance plant to improve your indoor space, hens and chicks are a great option.

20 Benefits Of Keeping Indoor Plants For Improved Lifestyle