Joubarbe d'Aywaille
Sempervivum funckii var. aqualiense
A rare and protected plant
The Joubarbe d'Aywaille (Sempervivum funckii var. aqualiense) is a botanical variety endemic to the Aywaille region in the Belgian Ardennes. It was first described by Belgian botanist Charles Morren in 1873.
This succulent plant of the Crassulaceae family grows naturally on limestone rocks and old stone walls in the Amblève valley. Its compact rosettes of fleshy leaves, often tinged red-brown at the tips, form dense colonies on sun-exposed rocky substrates.
In the Heid des Gattes nature reserve
The Joubarbe d'Aywaille is found notably in the Heid des Gattes nature reserve, which directly borders the hamlet of Sur la Heid — just a short walk from Gîte Cocoon. The reserve is also home to wild goats (the "gattes" in Walloon dialect, which give the site its name), wild orchids, and a rich calcareous biodiversity.
The Latin name aqualiense refers to Aywaille (formerly "Aqualia" in Latin), the municipality to which Remouchamps and the hamlet of Sur la Heid belong.
Characteristics
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Genus: Sempervivum (from Latin "semper vivum" — always living)
- Habitat: Limestone rocks, old walls, sun-exposed rocky substrates
- Altitude: 150–300 m in the Amblève valley
- Flowering: June–August, star-shaped pink to red flowers
- Status: Rare variety, protected in the Walloon Region
Learn more
To find out more about this fascinating botanical variety:
Plant Ecology and Evolution (plecevo.eu)