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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>Scott</span> Tue, 09/15/2020 - 11:02
We like "Dragons Blood" sedum for its color and structure. It grows well but alas, we also removed the overgrown plants that provided it with afternoon shade and sedum does not like 100+ deg days/sun.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 09/16/2020 - 14:07

Such a name for such a beautiful plant! Thanks for the insight, too!

 <span>Jeannie Green</span> Tue, 09/15/2020 - 10:32
I have a clipping from my mom's plant in Philadelphia. I live in sw Florida zone 10a, how is the best way to care for the plant. Right now I have it in a pot, we have alot of rain now and it's starting to turn slightly yellow and I brought it under cover, but outside. I also tried to plant a clipping in the summer and it didn't make it. Can I plant in the fall when it isn't so hot? Will it survive the summer if it established in our cooler Florida winter? Thanks
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 09/16/2020 - 14:15

Several sources suggest that this will grow in Florida but individual situations can vary. Read above; excess water is fatal to sedum, so make sure that the soil drains and let it dry out.

The U of Florida coop extension has a page dedicated to the plant; note that the southernmost part of Florida is not a suitable zone for it http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/shrub_fact_sheets/sedxa.pdf See other info there, too.

 <span>Geri Reski</span> Tue, 09/15/2020 - 10:03
I have planted the ‘blue spruce’ variety in a big container with portulaca and snappers. They are happy. They get mostly afternoon sun, zone 7, but never bloomed. Overflowing the big barrel container slightly...looks great. We rigged a chicken wire overhang to keep the elk from dining on the plants, and no problem with birds either as a result. Great carefree plants..never suffered from lack of water even in Arizona mountains here.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 09/16/2020 - 14:16

Sounds wonderful . . . only sorry pics can not be shared here. Enjoy your creativity!

 <span>Anthony Schaub</span> Sun, 09/06/2020 - 20:10
I have sedum spirit do I bring that in during the winter time if I have it in a pot or can I leave it outside over the winter?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 09/16/2020 - 14:21

A reliable source says that this sedum is hardy in zones 4a to 9b; you can check yours here https://www.almanac.com/content/plant-hardiness-zones

The problem with overwintering in pots is that roots freeze; if your plant would be at risk, bring it in.

 <span>Cj</span> Fri, 09/04/2020 - 09:38
My autumn joy sedum is not blooming pink any more. Is there something I can do to make it bloom pink?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 09/16/2020 - 14:25

Is it blooming at all?

Apparently, sedums bloom only when their survival is threatened. Don't water or fertilize and see what happens next summer.