Leaves rolled into tubes
Margins curl inward to create the uniquely “odd” outline.
Sempervivum 'Oddity' 6.5cm
Normal price
€7,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Sempervivum 'Oddity'
Tubular leaves, because ordinary ones were far too predictable 🌀
- Crassulaceae
- Tubular leaves
- Award-winning cultivar
- Prolific offsets
- Frost hardy
Sempervivum 'Oddity' overturns the familiar rosette with leaves that fold inward to form small pointed tubes. Each crown resembles a green vortex, while red to burgundy tones along the tips can make its extraordinary geometry even easier to read.
Offsets multiply into repeating star-like forms, creating a generous display and unmistakable collector identity without great bulk. This historic award-winning cultivar still looks genuinely unusual decades after its introduction, making it an inspired gift or a story-rich addition to a rock garden and specialist collection.
What makes it stand out
Three defining details that turn its botanical identity into real presence for a collection and interior.
An award-winning historic selection
The cultivar has been recognised for its stable original form since the 1970s.
A cluster filled with rosettes
Numerous lateral crowns create a rich repetition of tubular geometry.
Why you’ll love it: it is genuinely different, with recognisable form, documented history and a hardy outdoor presence unlike an ordinary succulent.
In your spacePlacement & plant pairingsWhere it looks best and which plants complement it
Where it looks its best
Display it in a shallow pot, rock garden or bright outdoor arrangement near eye level so the tubular crowns remain visible. Pale grit, slate and terracotta sharpen the graphic outline and allow the dense cluster to take centre stage.
Plants that complement it
Pair it with plants that genuinely share its light, substrate and seasonal rhythm. Separate pots keep care precise for each one.
- Sempervivum ‘Commander Hay’ — an open burgundy rosette with compatible outdoor hardiness.
- Jovibarba heuffelii — a sturdier flat geometry for contrast.
- Sedum spurium — low groundcover with the same hardy seasonal rhythm.
Care at a glance
Light
A very bright outdoor position with direct sun after acclimation.
Watering
Water after the mix dries, with free drainage and no wet roots during winter freeze.
Outdoor climate
A hardy outdoor succulent that needs seasons and dislikes a permanently warm interior.
Pets & children
Not intended for consumption; prevent chewing by children or animals.
For this plant
Substrate & nutrition
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, drying cycle, climate, substrate and feeding in detail
Light and position
Place it outdoors in abundant brightness, introducing strong sun gradually. Good exposure keeps rosettes tight and strengthens seasonal red tips.
Correct watering
Water once the mix has dried and let excess escape immediately. Winter drainage is critical because saturated roots combined with freezing conditions cause damage.
Airflow and humidity
Outdoor airflow is part of correct cultivation. Do not keep the cluster in a closed humid corner, and remove dry leaves from the centre.
Temperature and seasonal rhythm
It follows a clear seasonal cycle and tolerates substantial cold when acclimated and dry. Permanently warm indoor conditions weaken its compact form.
Substrate
Use a highly porous mineral cactus-and-succulent mix in a shallow pot with an unobstructed drainage hole. Rosettes should sit above the surface.
Feeding, repotting and handling
With fresh Sybasoil, wait about two months before feeding. Then apply very dilute Cactus & Succulent Focus only during active spring development.
Botanical identityIdentity & natural originAccepted name, taxonomic history and natural or cultivated provenance
Created by Sandy McPherson
Sempervivum ‘Oddity’ was selected by American grower Sandy McPherson and introduced in 1977. Its tubular form is maintained vegetatively.
Awarded in 1978
It received a Bronze Rosette Award from the Sempervivum Society in 1978, documenting its early recognition and stable cultivated identity.
Exact lineage remains uncertain
It is often sold as S. tectorum ‘Oddity’, while some accounts connect it with a mutation in a hybrid line. Without definitive primary lineage, Sempervivum ‘Oddity’ is the safest name.
From natural habitat to care: Sempervivum comes from exposed montane and rocky sites across Europe and western Asia, combining sun, cold winters and very rapid drainage. ‘Oddity’ retains that fundamental hardiness and performs best outdoors with seasonal change and roots that never remain saturated.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific facts nobody asked forBotanical detail for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Tubular leaves are a stable mutation
Rolled margins repeat clonally and create the cultivar’s recognisable form.
Each rosette is monocarpic
A mature rosette dies after flowering, but the cluster continues through its many offsets.
Colour responds to season
Anthocyanins can intensify red tips under bright cool conditions.
Reversion can occur
Some crowns may produce flat leaves; removing them preserves the characteristic form.
Frequently asked questions
Useful answers about light, watering, seasonal rhythm and the plant’s correct identity.
01Can it stay outside all year?
Yes, in an acclimated bright position with excellent drainage. Wet freezing conditions are riskier than dry cold.
02Why are tubular leaves opening?
Fresh or reverting growth may become flat. If the change persists in one crown, remove that rosette.
03When does it need watering?
When the mix has dried and no freeze is expected over wet roots.
04Why is one rosette dying?
If it has flowered, this is its natural monocarpic cycle. Surrounding offsets continue the cluster.
05Is it S. tectorum?
It is often sold under that species, but exact lineage is not definitively documented; Sempervivum ‘Oddity’ is preferred.
06Why is it collectible?
It combines a unique stable mutation with a documented breeder, known introduction year and historic award.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.