The hen & chicks succulent gets its nickname from reproducing by growing miniature buds off the larger root plant, nestled close together like a mother hen with her chicks tucked under her wings. Other names are live-forever and houseleeks. Live-forever is a translation of Sempervivum, so named because this tough plant survives frosty winters and thrives in dry, rocky soil. The houseleeks name comes from a superstition that a home with this plant growing on the walls and roof is protected from lightning. The leaves grow in a spiral, like a rose, and it comes in many colors, including red, pink, and purple.