Sedum greggii

Scientific Name

Sedum greggii Hemsl.

Synonyms

Sedum diversifolium

Scientific Classification

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

Description

Sedum greggii is a succulent plant that produces cone-shaped rosettes at the base of the flowering stems. Leaves are alternate oblanceolate or elliptic, rounded to obtuse, up to 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) long, and up 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) wide. Flowering stems are up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Flowers are star-shaped and yellow and appear in summer. After flowers are spent in midsummer, the tightly packed imbricate leaves form rosettes at the base of stems. These buds elongate the following winter. By spring, the stems are seen for the first time as simple terminal inflorescences of several flowers that rise above still relatively tightly packed elongated tufts.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °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 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. For shorter varieties, simply laying the plant on the ground where you want it to grow is usually enough to get the plant started there. 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.

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.

See more at How to Grow and Care for Sedum.