Many gardeners recognize upright sedum species, such as Sedum ‘Autumn Joy,’ as good plants for color in late summer and early autumn’s hot, dry days. Several low-growing sedum types, on the other hand, operate well as ground cover plants in hot, arid climates where other plants struggle to survive.
The Sedum genus contains 400500 species known as sedums, or stonecrops, many of which have been widely embraced as garden plants. It belongs to the Crassulaceae family, which is noted for plants with mushy, succulent leaves. Stonecrop gets its name from the fact that these plants not only withstand but thrive in dry, rocky soil. Sedums can grow to be 2 inches tall or 3 feet tall. Some species can withstand temperatures as low as USDA hardiness zone 3, while others are best suited to warmer regions. Sedums come in both annual and perennial varieties, but they’re always fleshy succulents. Sedums store moisture in their leaves, which is why they thrive in arid environments. Despite the fact that all sedums flower, they’re most commonly planted for their foliage, which comes in unique colors of green not found in other plants.
All sedums are incredibly easy to grow and propagate, and the only way to kill them is to overwater them or plant them in excessively moist soil. A single branch or even a leaf stuck in the ground will swiftly root and grow into a new plant in upright kinds. Low-growing sedums spread quickly but aren’t invasive, and their shallow root systems make them easy to remove, making them great ground cover plants.
For your ground cover needs, here are ten sedum, or stonecrop, varieties to consider.
What are the varieties of sedum?
- Colorful foliage in blue, plum, crimson, purple, silver, gray-green, orange, coral, yellow, gold, green, or variegated varieties is popular.
- Ground cover, rock walls, roof gardens, living walls, strawberry pots, or draping over the sides of containers or hanging baskets are all good options.
- Donkey’s tail, also known as burro’s or lamb’s tail, is a popular houseplant.
How many colors of sedum are there?
Sedums are perennials with distinctive, colorful, fleshy foliage that comes in a variety of colors ranging from pink, rose, purple, burgundy, blue, green, chartreuse, and gorgeous combinations. Sedums are available in a wide range of shapes, colors, and sizes, ranging from tall types to groundcovers. Star-shaped flowers are commonly seen in clusters or sprays, and they change color frequently during their blooming period. They prefer direct sunlight, but may tolerate moderate shade as well. They’re so close to being a perfect plant. They look wonderful as soon as they emerge in the spring and continue to look nice throughout the season, unlike many perennials that begin to show symptoms of age after blooming. Even in the winter, when the withered foliage is left standing, some are appealing.
Sedums have a number of qualities that every good landscape designer seeks for:
All of these plants do well in full sun with proper drainage. Weeds are effectively suppressed by ground cover types. Sedums are a favorite fall hue of our designers since they can be used in a variety of settings. Even the driest, stony bed will seem rich with them.
“Gardeners will be sold on adding these plants to their planting palette once they learn the variety of intriguing shapes and colors and how easy they are to grow.”
Two we love for their great show of color are:
With low fall temperatures, the red-margined green leaves of the Dragon’s Blood Stonecrop turn brightly red. In warm weather, the deep scarlet blossoms contrast with the green leaves. This plant is ideal for use as a groundcover, border, or in a rock garden.
Autumn Fire Stonecrop has rosy-pink flowers that turn a coppery crimson as they age. For arrangements, both fresh and dried flowers are suitable.
“Once gardeners see the plethora of unique shapes and colors and how easy these plants are to grow,” according to one grower, Monrovia, “they will be sold on adding them to their gardening palette.” Sedums thrive in containers as well! Because there are so many alternatives, you’ll have no trouble finding something you like in a variety of hues.
Is sedum the same as stonecrop?
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.
Can you plant stonecrop in the fall?
Autumn Joy stonecrop, often known as sedum, is a popular upright variety of stonecrop. Its scientific name is Hylotelephium telephium ‘Herbstfreude’ (‘Autumn Joy’). It’s a hybrid plant formed by crossing a sedum species (Sedum telephium) with an ice plant species (Hylotelephium spectabile). The resulting plant has rounded, gray-green leaves that resemble succulents. It blooms in late summer to early autumn, with small pink star-shaped flowers that grow in clusters on top of the plant’s stalks that are 3 to 6 inches across. The blossoms turn a deep rose color after blooming and then rust before dying when the chilly fall temperatures approach. Autumn Joy stonecrop grows slowly and is best planted in the spring, after the fear of frost has passed but before the summer heat sets in.
Do sedums like sun or shade?
Sedum don’t need much water, and if they get at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, they’ll produce their greatest colors. In thick, mucky, or high clay soils, they will not thrive. If you have some high spots and some low locations in your yard, the higher spots that drain well after a heavy rain will be preferable for sedum, while low spots tend to collect water.
Some succulents thrive inside, but sedum isn’t one of them. They simply require an excessive amount of direct sunshine.
What is golden sedum?
Golden sedum (Sedum adolphi) is a rangy color accent that works well in succulent landscapes, borders, and pathways, as well as pouring out of planters. The greenish-yellow foliage hue, which glows golden orange in intense light, is offset with star-shaped white blooms. It thrives on sandy, weak soils.
The variety of ways succulents express themselves throughout the year, depending on light, season, temperature, soil, and hydration, is part of what makes them so fascinating. Because of these and other factors, the plants you receive may differ slightly from those shown on our website.
What plants go well with sedum?
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.
About Sedum
Sedum, often known as “stonecrop,” comes in a wide variety of types and species, making it suited for use in practically any garden design. They’re hardy, easy to care for, and pollinators adore them!
Based on the growth characteristics of the plants, we split sedum into two categories: low-growing sedum and upright sedum.
- Sedum is a low-growing plant that spreads along the ground and grows to only a few inches (or less) in height. They’re ideal as a ground cover along walks, in rock gardens, or cascading down a stone wall because of this.
- Sedum that grows upright forms tall, upright clumps with a dense mass of tiny reddish-pink flowers. They’re ideal for border gardens or pollinator gardens because of their height and gorgeous blossoms. Although upright sedum was reclassified to a different genus, Hylotelephium, a few years ago, it is still referred to as a “sedum.”