Sempervivum wulfenii subsp. juvanii (Strgar) Favarger & J. Parnell
= Juvan's houseleek
(syn. Sempervivum juvanii)

This is one of the rarest and most interesting plants in our country, and also one of the rarest and most localized houseleeks. It is one of the pure jewels in the Slovenian flora! The plant got its name from Franc Juvan (1875 - 1960), who was a noted botanist working at the Ljubljana Botanical Garden for 64 years. The plant was found on Donacka gora in the first part of 19th century, but was identified as S. wulfenii, which grows in higher altitudes of Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. In the 1960's, the plant was rediscovered, and in 1971 Vinko Strgar redefined it as a new species. At that time was unknown any intermediate varieties or locations between S. juvanii and S. wulfenii. Therefore, he described it as a true species: S. juvanii Strgar.

Resenik, 550 m.

Juvan's houseleek has 5 - 8 cm large rosettes. Leaves are pilose at the edges, and glandular-pubescent on both sides. The plant doesn't produce many offsets. The flowering stem is 15 - 25 cm high. The petals are pale to golden yellow, 3 cm in diameter. Petals are three times longer than sepals, with a purple spot at the bottom. Flowers occur from July to August.

Botanical garden, Ljubljana

Plants grow on silicate rocks 500 - 850 m, on Donacka gora and Resenik. It differs from S. wulfenii with its pubescent leaves, low altitude of habitat, and location quite remote from all known S. wulfenii habitats. However, an intermediate form of S. wulfenii has recently been discovered at a lower altitude in Riegersburg, Austria (only 80 km from Donacka gora), where S. wulfenii is even very slightly pubescent. The altitude of its habitat is even lower than Donacka gora. The only remaining difference from the typical S. wulfenii is the high pubescence of S. juvanii and its isolated habitat. Therefore, it can now be recognized as only a well-defined subspecies of S. wulfenii.

Botanical garden, Ljubljana

Juvan's houseleek has been cultivated in the Ljubljana Botanical Gardens   for more than 30 years, with the cultivated plants originating from Strgar’s material. The collector is strongly encouraged to obtain plants there, instead of ruining the population in its habitat.