Sempervivum 'Greyolla'

Sempervivum 'Greyolla' is a distinctive heritage cultivar admired for its beautifully symmetrical grey-green rosettes, silvery foliage and remarkable seasonal colouring. Introduced by American Sempervivum breeder Edward Skrocki in 1981, 'Greyolla' has remained in cultivation for more than four decades and is particularly attractive as its colours change through the seasons.

History & Colour

Sempervivum 'Greyolla' was introduced by Edward Skrocki in the United States in 1981 and has become an enduring cultivar valued for its unusual combination of cool silvery foliage and warmer seasonal tones.

The tightly arranged rosettes are predominantly grey-green to silvery grey, with fine hairs giving the leaves a softly textured appearance. What makes 'Greyolla' particularly impressive is the colour that develops through the outer foliage. Depending on season, sunlight, temperature and growing conditions, the leaves can take on shades of dusty rose, mauve, burgundy and vivid pink-red while retaining cooler grey tones towards the centre.

This contrast can be especially striking when the plant is strongly coloured, creating an almost two-toned rosette with a dark silvery-grey centre surrounded by glowing pink and red outer leaves. As with many Sempervivums, its appearance changes naturally throughout the year, so the same plant can present a noticeably different palette from one season to another.

Growth & Offsets

'Greyolla' forms compact rosettes and produces offsets around the parent plant, gradually developing into an attractive colony. The combination of its geometric rosette shape and changing colour makes established clusters particularly effective in shallow pots, rockeries, gravel gardens and mixed Sempervivum displays.

Flowers & the Sempervivum Life Cycle

Mature rosettes may eventually send up flower stems carrying clusters of star-shaped flowers that are attractive to bees and other beneficial insects. Like other Sempervivums, each individual rosette is monocarpic, meaning it flowers once and then gradually dies.

This is a completely natural part of the plant's life cycle. The surrounding offsets continue growing and replace the flowering rosette, allowing an established colony to continue for many years. Once flowering has finished, the spent flower stem and declining rosette can simply be removed.

Growing Sempervivum 'Greyolla'

Sempervivum 'Greyolla' is an exceptionally hardy outdoor succulent that performs best with plenty of light and excellent drainage. A sunny position helps maintain compact growth and encourages the strongest seasonal colours, although some protection from extreme Australian summer heat can be beneficial in very hot locations.

Grow in a free-draining succulent mix and allow the growing medium to dry between waterings. Established plants tolerate dry conditions well and are remarkably resistant to cold and frost. Prolonged wet conditions, particularly during cool weather, are generally a greater concern than low temperatures, so good drainage and airflow are important.

A Beautiful Heritage Sempervivum

With its history dating back to 1981, silvery-grey foliage and extraordinary ability to develop pink, burgundy and red seasonal tones, Sempervivum 'Greyolla' remains a particularly beautiful cultivar. No two seasons are quite the same, making its changing colour one of the pleasures of growing this hardy and rewarding Sempervivum.

Sempervivum 'Greyolla' plants for sale shown in 70mm pot. You will receive same or similar plants as those shown in images 2 onward. First image for display only. Colours will vary depending on time of year and growing conditions.