Sedum Roundup
Hot, dry summer days give rise to hot, dry soils that are tough to keep covered.Stonecrop Sedum is the go-to groundcover for these types of spots. This versatile plant is used in rock gardens, on green roofs, as a houseplant, and even in broken or uneven ground where it is difficult to grow anything else. To our surprise, the Sedum leaves are edible, so it is even pet-friendly.
Stonecrops add unusual texture to the landscape along with bright, vibrant colors when they bloom. In winter their color changes as chlorophyll goes dormant. These moderately slow spreaders usually build up to form a thick mat, creating an effective weed block. Their sturdy leaves are also well protected against wind dehydration—one of the key reasons why the soil gets so dry in the first place. Sedums actually thrive in a poor soil; if it’s too rich they become lanky and open.
Mix and match a few varieties—you’ll find Sedum is an intriguing, easy-care solution for those hot, sunny spots. Here are some interesting cultivars to try:
- ‘Angelina’ features golden-red tones with finely textured leaves.
- ‘Bertram Anderson’ is taller and more open. Its mounding habit is similar to that of a low-mounding annual.
- ‘Cape Blanco’ sports dusty white leaf rosettes with bright yellow flowers.
- ‘Fuldaglut’ has thick bunches of leaves, arranged in tight rosettes around their stalks.
- hispanicum Purple Form features tiny, almost bead-like leaves.
- ‘Weihenstephaner Gold’ boasts bigger, chunkier textures than ‘Fuldaglut’ and blooms with heavy carpets of golden-yellow flowers.
- kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ is a variegated form similar to ‘Weihenstephaner Gold’.
- ‘Tricolor’ takes on a rosy blush in its variegated margins as it absorbs more sun.
