noun
- Plural of houseleek; succulent plants of the genus Sempervivum, commonly grown in gardens and on roofs for ornament and believed to protect buildings from lightning.
Usage: Usually used in plural form; Also called 'hen and chicks' in some regions
Examples
- The gardener planted houseleeks on the rocky slope where other plants struggled to grow.
- Houseleeks are drought-tolerant and require minimal watering once established.
- Medieval farmers believed houseleeks on their roofs would protect them from fire and lightning.
- The succulent rosettes of houseleeks come in shades of green, red, and purple.
- Houseleeks spread slowly across the garden bed, creating a dense carpet of foliage.
- These hardy houseleeks survived the harsh winter without any special care.