Plant just one low-growing sedum and you’re likely get hooked. Before you know it, you’ll be headed back to the garden center to buy all different kinds. That’s because low-growing sedums are the great problem solvers of the gardening scene. These lovelies dare to grow where few other plants survive – and they look spectacular doing it!
‘Dragon’s Blood’ sedum covers the ground with rich red color.
Photo Credit: Jenny Hooks
Gold moss sedum is a great choice for sunny rock garden.
Photo Credit: Jesse Saylor
With its beautiful cream and green foliage and fascinating flowers,
variegated orange stonecrop is one of the showiest low-growing sedums.
Photo Credit: Jesse Saylor
Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ works well in poor, dry soil and looks amazing in containers or cascading over walls.
Photo Credit: Marian Keith
Also commonly called stonecrop, Sedum is a huge genus of plants. There are about 400 species worldwide, and those varieties made specifically for the garden share some wonderful characteristics, including plump, waxy, interesting leaves and fascinating flowers. Even better: They’re some of the lowest-maintenance plants around.
These sun-loving succulents are especially great for those hot, dry spots that just bake all afternoon long. As a group, the low-growing sedums tend to do better in desert conditions than the taller types (which need a bit more water). The trade-off is that the taller types tend to be more cold-hardy, so the type you want really depends on where you live and what your garden’s needs are.
If you choose a sedum variety that’s hardy to your neck of the woods, you’re guaranteed four seasons of show. The selections that die back in the winter look good from the moment they emerge from the ground in spring. They’ll peak with flowers in fall and can be left standing all winter. (They look especially nice with a dusting of snow.) And depending on how cold your region’s winters are, your sedums may well be evergreen or semievergreen.
Some of the more popular, easier-to-find low-growing sedums include ‘Dragon’s Blood’ sedum (Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’), which spreads quickly and covers itself with deep red flowers in late summer; donkey’s tail or burro tail sedum (Sedum morganianum), which is a favorite for planting in containers because it trails so wonderfully over the sides; and gold moss sedum (Sedum acre), which features golden flowers and works great in rock gardens.
No matter which selection you choose, be sure to plant low-growing sedums in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct light a day) in average to sandy soil. They don’t like it too rich. And they demand excellent drainage, so avoid wet spots.
Sunny rock gardens always seem the perfect spot for these beauties. Or try them in those seemingly impossible areas, like that menacing inches-wide strip between the garage and the driveway. Consider tucking them between pavers or flagstones of a path or patio for a lovely filler plant. Or try the spreaders for a great sun-loving groundcover. And of course, don’t forget those containers, where they’ll look terrific all season long with little water!
In the eastern two-thirds of the country and the Pacific Northwest, you’ll probably be able to get away with not ever watering these plants. But they’ll look their best if you remember to help them along in the dry end of late summer and early autumn. In the western third of the country, they perform well with minimal water, so they make a good choice for water wise gardens.
As always, be sure to check the plant tags for winter hardiness of any low-growing sedum. While many will grow happily even in the coldest regions of the country, some are true desert natives and can take temperatures only a bit below freezing. No matter which variety you choose, under the right requirements, low-growing sedums are sure to give your garden a whole new water wise twist sure to please!
