Sedum 

(see' dum)

Common name: Stonecrop, Sedum, Live-forever

Family: Crassulaceae, Orpine

Height x width: 4-24" x 18-24"

Growth rate: moderate to fast

Foliage: varies with species, often opposite or ternate

Flowers: cymes, color varies with species, summer

Hardiness: zones 3-8

Soil: well-drained, tolerate drought

Light: sun

Pests and Problems: crown rot (from wet soils), leaf blotch, leaf spot, stem rot, rusts, aphids, southern root-knot nematode (none serious problems)

Landscape habit, uses: shorter species for rock and wall gardens, hillsides, steep slopes, containers; taller species for large rock gardens, borders, specimens, containers

Other interest: genus name from Latin sedo meaning to sit, refering to manner in which plants "sit" on walls; common name refers to manner in which many species live on stoney ledges; except for spurium native to Caucasus and ternatum native to eastern U.S., mostly native to Asia; many species have been reassigned by some authorities to the genus Hylotelephium, such as spectabile

Other culture: low maintenance

Propagation: seed (200,000 seeds per ounce), leaf or stem cuttings avoiding excess wetness, division of rock garden species

Species:

The following species and cultivars are perennial ones most commonly seen in U.S. commerce of the over 300. Those marked * are the most popular.
 
Species height flower color bloom time habit foliage
*acre 2-3" yellow spring evergreen mat pointed, ¼" long
aizoon 12-15" yellow summer upright flat, 2", toothed
album 4-6" white summer evergreen mat reddish, cylindrical 
dasyphyllum 1-4" white summer evergreen mat gray-green, opposite
kamtschaticum 4-9" yellow summer upright alternate 1-2"
lineare 8-10" yellow summer semi-erect linear, flat, whorled
middendorffianum 10-12" yellow summer upright narrow, V-shaped
reflexum 6-12" yellow summer evergreen mat cylindrical
sexangulare 4-6" yellow summer evergreen tufts cylindrical
spathulifolium 4-6" yellow late spring tight clumps terminal rosettes
spectabile 24" pink, white fall upright 2-3" opposite
spurium 2-6" white, rose summer evergreen mat 1" opposite, toothed
ternatum 2-6" white late spring evergreen mat terminal rosettes

 


Cultivars:

The following are the most commonly seen in U.S. commerce.
 
Cultivar species flowers foliage, other
'Album Superbum' spurium white  
*'Autumn Joy' hybrid pink 2-3", fleshy, toothed; upright 2'
'Blue Spruce' reflexum yellow blue, needle-like
'Brilliant' spectabile deep pink  
'Bronze Carpet' spurium white bronzing may fade
'Cape Blanco' spathulifolium yellow compact, silver gray leaves
'Carmen' spectabile carmine pink  
'Coccineum' spurium scarlet  
*'Dragon's Blood' spurium dark red purplish bronze
'Fuldaglow' spurium burgundy maroon
'Fuldaglut':'Fuldaglow'      
'Herbstfreude':'Autumn Joy'      
'Iceburg' spectabile white  
'Indian Chief' spectabile red, pink  
'John Creech' hybrid pink late spring, 2-3" tall
'Meteor' spectabile pink identical to 'Autumn Joy'
'Mohrchen' hybrid red, fall dark red; tends to flop
*'Red Carpet' spurium red bronze
'Ruby Glow' hybrid dark ruby 12" tall, late summer
'Stardust' spectabile silvery pink 18" tall
*'Tricolor' spurium white pink, white, green leaf stripes
*'Variegatum' kamtschaticum orange yellow wide white margins; compact
*'Vera Jameson' hybrid pink, 2-4" bronze; 9-12" tall
*'Weihenstephaner Gold' kamtschaticum golden var. floriferum
       


©Authored by Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont as part of PSS123 course.

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