Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Moon Stones, Hens And Chicks

Description:

This variety is drought tolerant, producing compact rosettes of thick, rounded, pointed foliage with crystal-like white markings; distinctive, yellow flowers in summer to fall; ideal for containers or rock gardens; protect from frost

Ornamental Features

Little Jewel Plant features unusual bracted yellow tubular flowers rising above the foliage from early summer to mid fall. Its attractive succulent oval leaves emerge lime green in spring, turning bluish-green in colour with showy white variegation and tinges of silvery blue the rest of the year.

Landscape Attributes

Little Jewel Plant is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading

Little Jewel Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Little Jewel Plant will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 8 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. Like most succulents and cacti, this plant prefers to grow in poor soils and should therefore never be fertilized. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Little Jewel Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.

This plant is not reliably hardy in our region, and certain restrictions may apply; contact the store for more information.