Sedum album (White Stonecrop) | World of Succulents

Scientific Name

Sedum album L.

Common Names

White Stonecrop

Synonyms

Leucosedum album, Oreosedum album, Oreosedum serpentini, Sedum athoum, Sedum clusianum, Sedum gombertii, Sedum micranthum, Sedum serpentini, Sedum teretifolium, Sedum vermiculifolium

Scientific Classification

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

Description

Sedum album is a creeping, mat-forming, evergreen Stonecrop. The dense foliage grows up to 4 inches (10 cm) tall and up to 18 inches (45 cm) wide. The leaves are small, succulent, linear-oblong, cylindrical to flattened, green and turn reddish-brown for fall and winter. The tiny, star-like, white flowers bloom in clusters in mid-summer, above the foliage mat.

Photo via horticulture-indigo.com

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zone 3a to 8b: from −40 °F (−40 °C) to 20 °F (−6.7 °C).

How to Grow and Care

When growing Sedum, keep in mind that Sedum 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 Sedum 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 anew plant will be established in a season or two… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Sedum