Sedums
By
Suzzanna Walsh, Master Gardener
Meet one of my favorite plants, the Sedum. This very
versatile plant is also known as stonecrop and live-forever. These
two names just might give you an idea of the hardiness of this plant. After all, what better plant could you ask for than one
called live-forever? Sedum spp. are members of the Crassulaceae
family, as are our favorites Echeveria spp.
and Kalanchoe spp.
Sedums are generally perennial and extremely hardy. There
are several hundred varieties from which to choose. They
bloom in late summer and fall. If you are looking for
a plant that is drought tolerant, thrives in poor soil, can grow in full sun or
light shade, and has a multitude of varieties, this is the plant for you.
Just to give you an idea of the versatility of this succulent-leaved plant,
consider the following: Some are evergreen – others deciduous; their colors
range from green to burgundy to blue gray and shades in between; their flowers
are small and range from white to yellow to pink; some grow tall, erect and
bushy, while others form excellent groundcovers due to their mat-forming and
sprawling habits, and; they grow well in borders, in rock gardens, and I even have
some in pots. If this isn't enough to convince you to
look further into these amazing plants, how about this: they attract
butterflies!!
Sedum can be propagated by seed, plant division, and by cuttings. Some say if even a bit of your sedum touches the dirt, a
new plant is formed.
Do you want a little fall color in your garden? Are
you interested in diversity in your garden through both foliage and bloom? Would you like to worry less about plant health and high
water consumption here in our relatively arid coastal climate?
Have you no time to amend your soil to suit more needy types of plants? Again, I suggest, this may be just the plant for you.