Hylotelephium cauticola (Cliff Stonecrop)

Scientific Name

Hylotelephium cauticola (Praeger) H. Ohba

Common Names

Cliff Stonecrop

Synonyms

Sedum cauticola

Scientific Classification

Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Subtribe: Sedinae
Genus: Hylotelephium

Description

Hylotelephium cauticola, also known as Sedum cauticola, is an excellent edging or rock garden plant up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) tall. It is a carpet-forming, succulent perennial with trailing stems of pink-tinged grey-green round leaves, and purplish pink star-shaped flowers in autumn. The specific epithet "cauticola" means "growing on cliffs", referring to the plant's favored habitat.

Photo via garden.org

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zone 3a to 9b: from −40 °F (−40 °C) to 30 °F (−1.1 °C).

How to Grow and Care

When growing Sedum, keep in mind that this plants need very little attention or care. They will thrive in conditions that many other plants thrive in, but will do just as well in less hospitable areas. They are ideal for that part of your yard that gets too much sun or too little water to grow anything else. A common name for Sedum is Stonecrop, due to the fact that many gardeners joke that only stones need less care and live longer.

Sedum is easily planted. For shorter varieties, simply laying the plant on the ground where you want it to grow is normally enough to get the Sedum plant started there. They will send out roots from wherever the stem is touching the ground and root itself. If you would like to further ensure that the plant will start there, you can add a very thin covering of soil over the plant. For taller varieties, you can break off one of the stems and push it into the ground where you would like to grow it. The stem will root very easily and a new plant will be established in a season or two… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Sedum