Rhodiola coccinea

Scientific Name

Rhodiola coccinea (Royle) Boriss.

Synonyms

Sedum coccineum, Rhodiola coccinea subsp. coccinea, Rhodiola juparensis, Sedum juparense, Sedum quadrifidum var. coccineum

Scientific Classification

Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Rhodiola

Description

Rhodiola coccinea is a cushion-forming succulent with a central branched caudex and 5 to 10 flowering stems from each rhizome branch. The stems are slender, brownish or purplish red, erect or curved, and up to 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) long. The fleshy leaves are green, lance-shaped, and up to 0.3 inches (0.8 cm) long. Flowers are small, usually dark red, rarely reddish or yellow, and appear in summer.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 4a to 9b: from −30 °F (−34.4 °C) to 30 °F (−1.1 °C).

How to Grow and Care

When growing Sedums, keep in mind that these 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 because many gardeners joke that only stones need less care and live longer.

Sedum is easily planted. Simply laying the plant on the ground where you want it to grow is usually enough to get the plant started there for shorter varieties. They will send out roots from wherever the stem is touching the ground and root itself. If you would like to ensure that the plant will start there, you can add a very thin covering of soil over the plant.

You can break off one of the stems for taller varieties 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.

Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Sedum.

Origin

Rhodiola coccinea is native to western Siberia and central Asia.