writes:
On Mon, 08 Sep 2003 18:42:31 GMT, "Ken Anderson"
wrote:

Hens and Chickens, a big somniferum. It's still in the UK catalog.
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds/uk/list_p_35.html

On second thought, scratch my prior post saying they're a
useful plant for rock gardens, etc.

It appears that the USA and UK call two different plants
'hens and chicks' - not a surprise.

The ones we call 'hens and chicks' in the USA are
_Sempervivum tectorum_ and they are definitely not an annual
and not 30" high as described in the T&M catalog. They're a
low-growing perennial succulent. There are variations but
all in the _Sempervivum_ family, AFAIK, and all low-growing
perennials, AFAIK.

T&M doesn't give the scientific name but their 'hens and
chicks' are obviously not the same thing at all.

Pat

I'm glad this thread went this far before I read it. I was shocked to see
that hens and chicks might be considered a drug! I wondered what other
succulents were next. Now I know that was was being discussed is not the
hens and chicks of my childhood which is a relief. I'd hate to think
those cute little things growing in the rocks were the target of some drug
war.

Glenna