houseleek

houseleek
/hows"leek'/, n.
1. Also called old-man-and-old-woman. a succulent plant, Sempervivum tectorum, of the stonecrop family, native to Europe, having reddish flowers and leaves forming dense basal rosettes.
2. any other plant of the genus Sempervivum.
[1325-75; ME howsleke. See HOUSE, LEEK]

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▪ plant
also called  Live-forever,  

      any of numerous low-growing succulent plants constituting the genus Sempervivum, about 40 species, in the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae), native to Europe, Morocco, and western Asia. The name houseleek refers to the growth of some species on thatched roofs in Europe; “live-forever” indicates their hardiness and durability. Houseleeks usually have thick fleshy leaves arranged in a dense rosette. Small plantlets, or offsets, arise in a cluster around the parent plant. They are useful in garden borders and rock gardens and are attractive in window pots indoors.

      The common houseleek, also known as old-man-and-woman or hen-and-chickens (S. tectorum), has given rise to a number of cultivated varieties of horticultural interest. Cobweb houseleek (S. arachnoideum), with leaftips connected by weblike strands, has also yielded many desirable varieties.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Houseleek — House leek , n. [House + leek.] (Bot.) A succulent plant of the genus {Sempervivum} ({Sempervivum tectorum}), originally a native of subalpine Europe, but now found very generally on old walls and roofs. It is very tenacious of life under drought …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • houseleek — [hous′lēk΄] n. [ME houslek: see HOUSE & LEEK] SEMPERVIVUM …   English World dictionary

  • Houseleek — Taxobox name = Houseleeks image width = 250px image caption = A Jovibarba regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Saxifragales familia = Crassulaceae genus = Sempervivum genus authority = L. subdivision ranks =… …   Wikipedia

  • houseleek — stoginė šilropė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Storlapinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis augalas (Sempervivum tectorum), paplitęs šiaurės Afrikoje ir pietų Europoje. atitikmenys: lot. Sempervivum tectorum angl. barrenprivet; common… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • houseleek — šilropė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Storlapinių (Crassulaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Sempervivum). atitikmenys: lot. Sempervivum angl. houseleek; live forever vok. Dachwurz; Hauswurz rus. живучка; молодило lenk. rojnik …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • houseleek — noun Date: 14th century a pink flowered thick leaved European plant (Sempervivum tectorum) of the orpine family that tends to form clusters of rosettes and is often grown in rock gardens; broadly sempervivum …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • houseleek — noun Any of several succulent plants, of the genus Sempervivum, having a rosette of fleshy leaves Syn: liveforever …   Wiktionary

  • houseleek — [ haʊsli:k] noun a succulent plant with rosettes of fleshy leaves and small pink flowers, growing on walls and roofs. [Sempervivum tectorum and other species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • houseleek — house•leek [[t]ˈhaʊsˌlik[/t]] n. pln a succulent plant, Sempervivum tectorum, of the stonecrop family, native to Europe, having reddish flowers and leaves forming dense basal rosettes • Etymology: 1325–75 …   From formal English to slang

  • houseleek — /ˈhaʊslik/ (say howsleek) noun 1. a herb of the family Crassulaceae, Sempervivum tectorum, with pink flowers and thick, succulent leaves, found growing on the roofs and walls of houses. 2. any plant of the genus Sempervivum …  

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