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How to Grow Low-Growing & Upright Sedum (Stonecrop) in Your Garden

Image Credit:
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Sedum spp., Hylotelephium spp.
Grown as
Perennial
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
Orange
Pink
Red
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Fall Color
Long Blooming
Low Maintenance
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Songbirds
Plant Type
Flowers
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Sedums have it all! This perennial plant has succulent green foliage and produces clusters of star-shaped flowers that bloom from midsummer to fall. It’s easy to care for and beloved by pollinators, too! Here’s how to grow sedum in your garden.

Perennial plants don’t get much easier than sedum, a genus of succulents with fleshy stems and succulent leaves—also called “stonecrop” or “live-forever.” A hardy plant that grows well in shallow soil, there is a sedum variety for almost every garden.

We like to divide sedum into two main categories based on the plants’ growth habits: low-growing sedum and upright sedum.

  • Low–growing sedum spreads along the ground, reaching only a few inches (or less) in height. This makes them perfect for use as a ground cover along paths, in rock gardens, or cascading down a stone wall.
  • Tall or upright sedum tends to form tall, upright clumps that produce large flower heads in tight masses of tiny reddish-pink flowers. Their height and attractive flowers make them good candidates for border gardens or pollinator gardens. A few years ago, upright sedum was reclassified to another genus, Hylotelephium, but it is still commonly referred to as a “sedum.”

Planting

Where to Plant Sedum

Sedum enjoy full sun but will tolerate some shade. If growing sedum in an area that gets long, cold winters (Zone 5 and colder), plant in full sun to improve overwintering capability.

Sedum grows well in poor or sandy soil, but it’s important to have well-draining soil to avoid fungal diseases. It is very susceptible to root rot if grown in soil that holds too much moisture. Overly rich soil can also encourage leggy growth, which can result in upright sedum varieties becoming top-heavy when they bloom.

When to Plant Sedum

  • Sedum is usually bought in plugs or pots and transplanted into the garden. The best time to plant sedum is in the spring—after the threat of frost but before the heat of summer kicks in.
  • Plant sedum seeds in early spring in well-draining, average to rich soil. (Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.)

Sedum with yellow flowers

How to Plant Sedum

  • Space plants between 6 inches and 2 feet apart, depending on the variety. Low-growing sedums will readily spread to fill any gaps, while upright sedums tend to stay more compact.
  • Planting full plants or divisions: Dig a hole deep enough so that the top of the root ball is level with the surface of the soil, then place the plant in the hole and fill in around it. Be careful not to bury the stems of upright sedum, as this can lead to rot.
  • Planting cuttings: Like other succulents, sedum can be readily propagated via cuttings. Simply place the cut end into soil, and the cutting should have no trouble rooting under proper lighting and watering conditions.

Growing

  • Once established, sedum plants require little care. During the summer, check your plants regularly to make sure they are not too dry and water (sparingly) if needed. As long as your area gets rain every couple of weeks at the least, sedum shouldn’t need any extra watering.
  • After flowering, cut back the plants to maintain their shape or contain them in one area.
    • Tip: For added winter interest, leave the flowers of upright sedum alone after they bloom. They will form attractive seed heads.
  • Remember to divide your plants in the spring or fall to control their spread. Throughout the summer, divisions and cuttings root readily.

Sedum

Pests and Problems

  • Mealybugs
  • Scale insects
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Birds, deer, squirrels, and voles may nibble on the succulent foliage of sedum.

Types

  • Sedum humifusum makes for a great ground cover and has beautiful, bright yellow flowers
  • ‘Brilliant’, ‘Autumn Fire’, and ‘Autumn Joy’ upright sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile, aka Sedum spectabile) add bursts of bright pink and magenta to your garden
  • ‘Blue Spruce’ (Sedum reflexum) is a low-growing sedum with blue-green, spruce-like foliage and yellow flowers

Flowers

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Max Zarges</span> Thu, 01/14/2016 - 17:18
I purchased 2 Red Sedum by mail, and they said they would ship at the appropriate planting time. By the time they arrived, the ground was frozen. The plants are dry, can I out them in water inside to get them ready for spring planting?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 01/15/2016 - 14:28

We suggest that you return the plants and get your money back. There is no guarantee that the plants will revive if put them in water or moist soil indoors.

 <span>Patricia Birdsall</span> Wed, 09/30/2015 - 13:55
I purchased four beautiful sedum at a local farmers market. They might be Autumn Fire or Autumn Joy .The flowers were a vibrant purple magenta color which I loved and complemented the other colors in the garden. It's only the end of September and they are already turning brown. Is there anything I could be doing to help maintain the color longer or is this normal?
<span>Cocinelle</span> Tue, 09/29/2015 - 16:11
a friend just gave me half a dozen cuttings of sedum (like cut flowers) and said to bury the cut stems to see if they will grow. We are in the Washington DC area but it is nearly October, and the weather is starting to get a bit colder. What are the chances it will root?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 09/30/2015 - 10:35

Sedums are easy to root and it should only take 2-3 weeks before they develop enough roots to survive on their own. As long as the ground hasn't frozen they should be fine. If the temperatures make you nervous you can try rooting them indoors in a container of soilless potting mix or vermiculite, or you can even root them in a glass of water on a sunny windowsill.

 <span>Cccc</span> Wed, 06/17/2015 - 20:42
I am in the mid Atlantic.... my multi-year old Autumn Joy was growing great this year until some [expletive deleted] garden crew came through with electric shears and lopped off all the about-to-bud stalks. Will it grow more flower stalks this year? :( {sad)
<span>Ej Oen</span> Tue, 06/02/2015 - 10:04
I have some very low sedum ground cover. I would like to plant a daisy like plant in the same area. Do I need to dig all the sedum out first or would the two grow together OK?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 06/03/2015 - 15:53

Hi, EJ: From a botanical standpoint, sedum and daisies (not sure what you have in mind with "daisy like") grow just fine together. That being said, the established sedum might present some physical challenges to newly growing daisies, so you might consider digging "holes" in your sedum bedsl (transplant elsewhere) to give the daisies a little space. Good luck!

 <span>L Frederick</span> Tue, 06/02/2015 - 01:04
Hi I live in WI and I'v put sedum in pots to make gnome and fairy gardens. Should I leave them out in the winter or bring them in? They're so cute I don't want to chance ruining them.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 06/05/2015 - 11:27

Most sedums are very cold hardy. To be on the safe side you can bury the pots in your garden and add a layer of mulch over them or you can turn an empty cardboard box over them in late fall.