Stonecrop (Sedum spp.) is a tough, drought-tolerant perennial plant that is commonly used in xeriscaping, rock gardens, and containers.
From the ubiquitous two-foot tall long-blooming Autum Joy to the beautiful groundcover stonecrops like ‘Dazzleberry,’ stonecrop comes in a variety of varieties.
These succulent perennials need little water and thrive in poor soil, making them ideal for sun-baked containers or the dreaded ‘hellstrip.’
- Autumn Joy, a taller sedum that blooms from August to November with pink flowerheads that mature to a coppery color that blends well with Autumn hues, looks stunning in a bed or border.
- The blooms attract butterflies and bees, and if left uncut, they provide food for birds throughout the winter.
- Angelina, Fuldaglut, and Dragon’s Blood are low-growing sedums that fill in gaps in a rock garden or gracefully pour over a stone wall.
Sedum
There are roughly 400 species of leafy succulents in the Stonecrop genus, which includes this perennial. Water-storing leaves and five-petaled blooms characterize these plants. The color of the foliage is varied, and the flower designs are intriguing. They are drought tolerant and resilient.
Low-growing species are excellent for rock gardens and green roofs, and they thrive as groundcover for difficult places, with colorful fleshy foliage and vibrant blooms in whites, yellows, pinks, and reds.
Sedum uprights look great with ornamental grasses, Rudbeckia, and Echinacea, while groundcover species look great in rock gardens, along stone walls, and between patio pavers.
Low Growing
With golden blossom and bright gold/yellow/peach needle-like leaves. In better light, the color of the foliage stands out more. 3-6
Drought-tolerant ground cover with narrow blue leaves that resembles spruce needles and yellow flowers that grow to be 3-5″ tall and 15-18″ wide.
4″ height24″ spread, purplish red fleshy foliage with red blossom, evergreen, full sun
Full sun, 4-6″ height spread indefinitely, hardy alpine, deep pink flowers over somewhat bronzed summer foliage
Evergreen, little scalloped leaves with pink blooms, full or partial sun. 6-9″ spread 2″ height
In the summer, the pinkish gray/green foliage becomes a reddish brown color. Pink blooms bloom from September 10 to 12″
Upright Sedem
‘Autumn Joy’ has richer, longer-lasting blossoms and tougher, sturdier branches than the popular ‘Autumn Joy.’ For arrangements, both fresh and dried flowers are suitable.
Large green blossom turns pink in the summer and bronze in the fall, with fleshy medium green leaves that measures 24″ to 35″ tall.
From late summer to fall, this plant has a compact habit and huge clusters of vivid magenta pink flowers held on reddish stalks.
Over gray/green leaves with a pink edging, gleaming scarlet stems with delicate pink blooms 30-36
Does stonecrop come back every year?
Unless they grow out of bounds, creeping sedums don’t need to be clipped. Tall sedums can be tip trimmed in the spring to keep their height under control, but this will delay flowering. In the winter, tall sedums die back to a ground-level rosette. During the autumn and early winter, many gardeners like to leave the withered stems and blossoms of tall sedums in situ because, even when dead, they are lovely when frost coats them. They can be pruned or pulled once they have been smashed down by snow or ice.
Sedums in containers:
Sedums, both towering and creeping, are wonderful container plants if you use a good potting mix that both absorbs and drains water. Tall sedums and creeping sedums make excellent spiller companions for tall container plants like cactus and agave. Strawberry pots, pallet gardens, rock walls, and wall gardens all look fantastic with creeping sedums hidden in the nooks and crevices. Because their long stems droop down over the edge of the container, creeping sedums are also ideal for hanging baskets.
Will stonecrop survive winter?
Sedums come in a variety of sizes and shapes: some are tall, some are neatly mounding, and others are sprawling, trailing ground coverings. In pots, the low-spreading to medium-spreading kinds are appealing, and some of the larger varieties stand out when partnered with blousy, soft grasses. While several of them produce beautiful blooms in the fall, almost all of them are worth planting for their foliage, which comes in a variety of green and blue-gray tones and can turn beautiful colors as the weather cools. Many stonecrops, unlike other succulents, are exceptionally cold tolerant and look excellent from spring to fall and into winter. Even when exposed in containers throughout the winter, some are hardy in temperatures as low as minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you winterize a stonecrop?
Autumn Joy stonecrop (Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’) is a popular type with lovely fall color that is commonly used in gardens or as potted plants. It grows in zones 3 through 9 and reaches a height of 18 to 24 inches. It has little clusters of pink flowers in the summer that turn crimson in the fall. Its foliage and dead flowers keep their color throughout the winter, so there’s no need to prune them back. To encourage new growth, remove spent flowers and reduce stalks to ground level in the spring. The plant will die back during a severely cold winter. If this is the case, wait until the spring to water it. Autumn Joy sedum thrives in areas where water doesn’t pool and the soil can dry out quickly after winter rains.
Do you cut back stonecrop for winter?
Sedums are incredibly hardy plants. They are pest and disease resistant and may grow in moderate to full light on well-drained soil. They can even withstand drought. Fungal infections and rot, on the other hand, are a problem for them, especially in low-light and high-humidity environments. To avoid spreading fungal spores to the plant, sterilize your cutting instruments. To avoid unnecessary plant damage, use sharp instruments.
When plants are stressed, avoid pruning in the middle of the winter or in high heat. Sedum plants are practically built for low-maintenance management and are tolerant of a wide range of treatments.
You should be able to enjoy the plants and their offspring for years to come with a little practice.
Are sedum and stonecrop the same?
Sedum is a flowering plant genus with succulent properties such as water-storing leaves and stems. The Crassulaceae family includes sedums. Because of its stone-like look, Sedum is also known as stonecrop. The white blossom of the Appalachian stonecrop. Sedums are annuals, perennials, creeping herbs, and shrubs with 600 species in the Northern Hemisphere. Succulent features are shared by both sedum and cactus, but they belong to two separate plant families.
What grows well with stonecrop?
Sedum’s Companion Plants
- Chrysanthemums and asters Hardy perennials like asters and chrysanthemums bloom in the fall.
- Fescue in the color of blue. Autumn Joy’s gentle green stems and leaves contrast wonderfully with blue fescue’s spiky, blue-gray foliage.
How hardy is stonecrop?
Stonecrop (Sedum spp.) is a tough, drought-tolerant perennial plant that is commonly used in xeriscaping, rock gardens, and containers. These succulent perennials need little water and thrive in poor soil, making them ideal for sun-baked containers or the dreaded ‘hellstrip.’
How fast does stonecrop grow?
Succulents grow at varied speeds depending on the variety. Climate, soil type, watering, and fertilizing all influence the size and rate of growth of a plant. In a pot, slow types will stay small, whereas fast ground cover varieties, such as Sedum, can spread up to 1″ each month during the growth season.
Does sedum spread quickly?
A creeping sedum might be the plant for you if you’re seeking for a lovely plant that thrives in almost complete neglect. Sedums strut their stuff in places where few other plants would dare. They thrive in crevices in a garden wall or pathway, on roofs or the tops of gently sloped birdhouses, and even under big trees where their massive roots capture the majority of the soil’s moisture. They work well in rock gardens, borders, and containers as well.
Many gardeners have begun to look more closely at species of the genus Sedum as seasonal and long-term droughts become more common across the United States. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is well-known for its late russet blooms, but its ground-hugging relatives are gaining popularity as well.
Stonecrops, sometimes known as creeping sedums, provide a constant source of interest in my garden. They’re some of the most adaptable, drought-tolerant, and simple-to-grow perennials I’ve ever grown in my decades as a gardener. Sedums really reduce the amount of work a gardener has to do as they grow in size. Low growers are known for their ability to spread quickly, preventing weeds from gaining root. Although it is not required to deadhead spent blooms because they will fade away on their own, aged blossoms can be easily removed with a string trimmer. They are rarely afflicted by illnesses or pests as long as they are not over-watered.
While sedums may thrive in even the poorest soilin fact, low or little soil is their preferred mediumgood drainage is essential for their growth. Too much wetness, especially standing water, will destroy a sedum faster than any drought can.
Sedums, once established, require almost no further water to thrive, even in the driest conditions. Sedums are a great choice for gardens in hot, arid areas like the western United States, but they can grow almost anyplace with sufficient drainage. They can be found sticking up from boulders or sprouting from just a few inches of scree in frigid, alpine regions. Almost every USDA Hardiness Zone has at least one Sedum species. Although most creeping sedums prefer full sun, they can also thrive in moderate shade. Sedum ternatum, a North American native, is a sedum that prefers a little more moisture and shade than its relatives.
Are sedum winter growers?
Take a look at this brief tutorial to watering succulents. On the other hand, Sedums, a favorite succulent and winter grower, will require significantly more water during the colder months and significantly less during the summer.