A perennial flowering plant with succulent properties is called sedum (Stonecrop). Sedum primarily stores water in its leaves and stems. Sedum, which is frequently planted in the spring, will thrive and blossom through the winter. Some types of sedum are more resistant to deer than others. Remember that being deer resistant does not mean being deer proof.
Sedum is classified as Occasionally Severely Damaged on the scale used by Rutgers University, which ranges from Rarely Damaged to Frequently Severely Damaged.
Deer will try practically any plant at least once before eating it. Deer dislike the bitter flavor and sticky texture of, for instance, Sedum Autumn Joy, but they nevertheless eat it. Deer will nibble on sedum plants if there is nothing else to eat because they grow up to winter and food is scarce at this time.
Some animals appreciate sedum, while deer prefer to eat hostas, daylilies, and plants that have been fertilized well. The young branches of sedum have been observed to be consumed by squirrels. Birds that are parched in the summer will avoid the sedum’s blossoms in favor of its juicy foliage.
Who or what consumes sedum plants?
Animals. The fragile young shoots of the sedum plant have been known to attract the attention of deer and squirrels. Deer have demonstrated a liking for the sedum type known as “fall delight,” despite it being deadly to humans.
Deer are repelled by sedum.
Stones are forced to the surface and the soil freezes deeper when fields are cleaned. Over 240,000 kilometers of stone walls, many of which are still standing today hundreds of years later, were frequently built by settlers using these. Farmers and gardeners frequently lament the fact that their rocky soil only produces stones as a crop.
It is therefore appropriate that one of the simplest, least finicky flowers you may grow goes by the name Stonecrop. According to legend, only stones require less maintenance than the dependable Sedum plant. This hardy perennial succulent can withstand dry, poor soil and hot, sunny conditions because to its thick leaves, which retain moisture.
The most well-known and common sedum is Autumn Joy. You’ll be rewarded with tiny pink flowers late in the season and into the fall if you grow this hardy sedum. The enormous flower heads begin as a gentle pink color and gradually turn a deep, rich orange. Pick some to make bouquets that last, or dry some to make flowers that last forever.
Try Sedum humifusum, which has lively, vivid yellow blooms, as a ground cover. Sedum reflexum, which has striking blue-green leaves resembling spruce needles, is another low-growing sedum. Early in the summer, Blue Spruce also blooms with vibrant yellow flowers. Bright pink blooms from the aplty called sedum Brilliant (Hylotelephium spectabile) will brighten up your landscape.
Sedum is not just a deer-resistant flower that is ideal for planting once and forgetting about, but it also draws pollinators like butterflies and bees. The majority of sedum plants bloom for several weeks. Sedum should be grown in fast-draining soil that has enough of sand or small rocks in full sun. Shorter sedum cultivars can be nestled into rock gardens or used as ground coverings. All of these drought-tolerant plants do well in places that are difficult to mow or that receive a lot of abuse, like next to driveways or by the sides of roads.
Sedum can be grown from seeds in the outdoors or started indoors in flats in the early spring. Because the seeds are so tiny, they should be pressed directly into the moistened soil without being covered in any way. Maintain a wet but not saturated seedbed. They need to start growing after 14 to 28 days. As a general guideline, 500 sedum seeds will provide ground cover for a 10-square-foot area.
Cuttings of sedum can be grown quickly. Simply bury the cut end in the ground and let nature do its thing. The cuttings will quickly take root and grow. Divide the sedum plants in the spring or the fall if your area becomes overloaded.
Your sedum plants require very little care once they are established. Mealybugs, scale, snails, and slugs can all attack sedum, but typically there is little harm done, and the plants bounce back quickly. Plants that have been harmed can be sprayed with organic soap. Sedum thrives in poor soil, so avoid fertilizers and overwatering because you can kill it with kindness.
Sedum will thus reward you with rich succulent foliage all year long and a burst of cheery blossoms in late summer or fall if you plant it this fall. They can perform a dual function by providing blossoms for long-lasting bouquets and filling in regions of poor soil. In fact, these stonecrops may be able to accomplish two goals at once.
Paul Barbano, who lives at Rehoboth Beach, writes about gardening there. You can write to him at PO Box 213 in Lewes, Delaware 19958.
Do deer and rabbits consume sedum?
One plant the rabbits do not like is lavender. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
One plant the bunnies dislike is penstemon. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
One herb the rabbits do not enjoy is tarragon. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
The herb thyme is one that the bunnies dislike. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
Rabbits dislike sage more than any other herb. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
The rabbits dislike the shrub salvia. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
One plant the rabbits do not like is sedum. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
The bunnies do not like the agastache plant. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
One herb the rabbits do not like is echinacea. On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
On May 23, 2017, in Longmont, Michael Morris, the hard goods manager at the Longmont Flower Bin, displayed plants and repellents for rabbits and deer.
Which sedum is the most resistant to deer?
Coming home from a trip only to discover your garden destroyed by deer and parched is the worst possible situation.
Numerous lists of plants that are resistant to deer include Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and other taller Stonecrop relatives. When the seasons change, their foliage provides enticing intrigue, and in the fall, they really shine with a vibrant flower display. The seed heads provide a beautiful winter show if they are left undamaged.
These Stonecrops were a mainstay in the OPC Stone House Garden when it was first established due to their low maintenance requirements. We transferred these “workhorses” to the “Wild GardenA Work in Progress” when we started to redo the beds. It’s a wonderful holding spot, hidden behind a brick wall and usually out of sight.
It is particularly attractive when it blooms in the late spring with ox-eye daisies. The majority of the withered plants are removed when the flowers fade since they proliferate like crazy, but the mounds of sedum that are still present provide interest.
They were there when I departed on my holiday, I suppose. When I came back, I discovered a few leaves and a cluster of ugly green stalks. Every single plant appeared to have a running weed whacker in the middle of it. These sedum won’t have time to recover, so the damage will show for the remainder of the growing season and there won’t be any decorative seed heads in the winter. In contrast to some plants, like hostas, which put out a fresh flush of growth to cover the carnage left after being eaten, these sedum won’t have time to recover.
Fibrous begonia ‘Bigs,’ another plant on the deer resistant list, is a favorite of the deer that frequent my garden at night. My impression is that they are drawn to the succulent, water-filled leaves of the stonecrops, which are also tasty food in this hot, dry climate.
Fortunately, Bambi doesn’t seem to enjoy the sedum we employ as a groundcover that hugs the ground.
PlantSkydd, a deer and rabbit repellent, works well on plants like hydrangeas and the shrub Diervilla ‘Kodiac Orange’ that I know the deer adore. I spray the underside of leaves and flower clusters to prevent plant stains. The product lasts for several weeks if it doesn’t rain much, but new growth is fragile and requires “touch ups.” We also removed every hosta from the garden since deer can smell them from a block away. The tall sedum might potentially be removed come springtime.
How is sedum safeguarded?
The sedum shouldn’t need to be watered after the growing season is over. Sedums prefer dry ground. Winter rot can be caused by too much moisture. A layer of snow will aid in defending the sedum, but persistent rain and stagnant water are bad for the plant. You should water just enough if the winter is particularly dry to prevent the soil from drying out altogether. Sedum in pots will require more water than in-ground plants do.
What succulent plants won’t deer eat?
Sempervivum, Sedum, and other succulents have an impressive list of advantages. They can withstand dryness, require little maintenance, have vibrant leaves all year long, and many are winter hardy. In addition to all of this, sedum and hens-and-chicks are frequently included in lists of plants that are resistant to deer.
Unfortunately, the deer herds haven’t been evenly divided with the lists of plants that are resistant to grazing by deer. You’ll notice that every list says resistant rather than deer-proof. This is due to the fact that deer-proof plants are a myth. There are other varieties that deer don’t enjoy as much, but that doesn’t mean they won’t occasionally take a mouthful.
Browsers are deer. They nibble here and there and eat an entire garden somewhere else. Deer will eat just about anything, as anyone who lives in a region where deer are common is aware, and they can wreak serious havoc in gardens.
Hens and chicks are deer-resistant plants, as are other succulents. Deer typically do not accept them. They would like to eat something different because they are not their favorite food. However, they will only consume just enough to be annoying and keep you on the lookout.
They typically only consume your sempervivum plants in the winter, when food is more limited. But this is not a hard-and-fast rule. I had a tomato plot a few feet away from a succulent wreath that was hanging. I discovered several breaches in the succulent wreath when I went outside one morning in the early summer.
Your hen and chick plants frequently need an extra layer of protection to keep deer and rabbits away. While surrounding the plants with fences or nets will keep them secure, it may not always be the most appealing option. We typically suggest a deer repellant like Liquid Fence when individuals report deer problems in their yards. This is a fantastic way to prevent deer and rabbits from nibbling on your succulent plants.
Don’t lose hope if the deer do eat your chickens and chicks. A plant that has had a bite taken out of it will grow other plants to take the place of the damaged one. The stumps that once represented your lovely rosettes will start to grow again after being consumed all the way to the ground. A fitting name for hens and chicks is sempervivum, which means to live forever. Even when you think the deer have killed them, they typically cling to life and come back.
Sedum: a type of ground cover
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and other upright sedum types are well known among gardeners as great plants for adding color to the hot, dry days of late summer and early autumn. But in hot, arid regions where other plants struggle to survive, a number of low-growing sedum types also make excellent ground cover plants.
The Sedum genus contains 400–500 species, often known as sedums, or stonecrops, and is a member of the Crassulaceae family, which is distinguished by plants with thick, succulent leaves. Many of these species are commonly used as garden plants. Stonecrop refers to a group of plants that not only withstand dry, rocky soil but actually thrive in it. Sedums grow to a height of between 2 inches and 3 feet. While some species do well in warmer temperatures, others are only hardy up to USDA hardiness zone 3. Sedums can be annual or perennial, but they are all fleshy succulents. Sedums function so effectively in arid environments because they retain moisture in their leaves. All sedums have flowers, but they are mostly grown for their foliage, which has fascinating green hues that are uncommon in most other plants.
All sedums are incredibly simple to grow and multiply, and the only way to hurt them is to overwater them or place them in soil that is too wet. A single branch or even a leaf inserted into the ground will immediately take root and grow into a new plant with upright variations. Low-growing sedums are excellent ground cover plants because they quickly cover the ground, are not invasive, and have shallow root systems that make them simple to remove.
For your ground cover requirements, here are 10 sedum, or stonecrop, varieties to take into account.
Fun Fact
Many of the plants marketed as sedums are no longer considered sedums in the botanical sense. Plant biologists routinely shift species to new genera, and on occasion they will eject plants from an excessively big genus and create a new one specifically for them. In the horticultural industry, sedums are still frequently used to refer to a group of plants in which some common species have been moved to new genera. For instance, the well-liked sedum “Autumn Joy” is now officially known as Hylotelephium “Autumn Joy.”