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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Sedums
Planting
Sedum enjoy full sun, but will tolerate some shade. If growing sedum in an area that gets long, cold winters (Zone 5 and colder), plant in full sun to improve overwintering capability.
Sedum grows well in poor or sandy soil, but it鈥檚 important to have well-drained soil to avoid fungal diseases. It is very susceptible to root rot if grown in soil that holds too much moisture. Overly rich soil can also encourage leggy growth, which can result in upright sedum varieties becoming top-heavy when they bloom.
When to Plant Sedum
- Sedum is usually bought in plugs or pots and transplanted into the garden. The best time to plant sedum is in the spring鈥攁fter the threat of frost but before the heat of summer kicks in.
- Plant sedum seeds in early spring in well-drained, average to rich soil. (Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.)
How to Plant Sedum
- Space plants between 6 inches and 2 feet apart, depending on the variety. Low-growing sedums will readily spread to fill any gaps, while upright sedums tend to stay more compact.
- Planting full plants or divisions: Dig a hole deep enough so that the top of the root ball is level with the surface of the soil, then place the plant in the hole and fill in around it. Be careful not to bury the stems of upright sedum, as this can lead to rot.
- Planting cuttings: Like other succulents, sedum can be readily propagated via cuttings. Simply place the cut end into soil, and the cutting should have no trouble rooting under proper lighting and watering conditions.
Growing
- Once established, sedum plants require little care. During the summer, check your plants regularly to make sure they are not too dry and water (sparingly) if needed. As long as your area gets rain every couple of weeks at the least, sedum shouldn鈥檛 need any extra watering.
- After flowering, cut back the plants to maintain their shape or contain them in one area.
- Tip: For added winter interest, leave the flowers of upright sedum alone after they bloom. They will form attractive seed heads.
- Remember to divide your plants in the spring or fall to control their spread. Throughout the summer, divisions and cuttings root readily.
Catherine Boeckmann
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We are not familiar with any sedum cultivars called 鈥楬olly鈥, but there are so many sedum varieties out there! There are quite a few cultivars that have a vaguely holly-shaped leaf, though they are not spiky like a holly leaf. Most of the upright varieties fit this description.
Alternatively, could the plant be sea holly (Eryngium)? It’s not related to sedum, but it does have a holly-like leaf. (And it is quite spiky!)
I purchased a couple of sedum tiles two years ago to use as ground cover. It is now taking over. How can I reduce it without killing it? Thank you! (I'm in zone 7)
Sedum grows quite shallowly in the ground, so the easiest way to get rid of it is to simply pull it up. The pulled-up sedum will easily reroot, so share it with a neighbor or use it elsewhere on your property if you like.
To keep the sedum somewhat contained, consider adding a border of rocks around the area. The sedum will grow over the rocks, but the rock border will let you easily see where the sedum needs to be pruned next.
Will these grow well if planted around the bottom of a potted hibiscus tree?
It is early November here in GA. My cousin mailed me two long sedum pods. How and when should these be planted? Should I let them dry out over winter or try to plant now? If I wait until spring, how to store? Thanks.
Hi Tammy,
Save the pods over winter to be planted in the late winter or early spring. Store the pods in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry, and dark place to keep them viable. Start germination by wrapping them in a damp paper towel contained in a sealed plastic bag. After a few days, you should see some small growth. Plant the seeds in soil and grow at 60 to 65掳F indoors for 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting outside. If temperatures outside have already reached 60 to 65掳F, plant directly outside. We hope this helps!
I have never grown sedum outside. I have 3 beautiful small thundercloud sedums and their blooms are starting to fade. We are in central NC. They seem heavy and weighing down the stalks. Can I cut them off now and do I just take the flower and none of the green leaves? Do these stalks keep growing longer or does the plant start filling out from the base? Should I just leave the rest of the plant alone in other words if I want it fuller looking will that happen naturally?
Located in Athens, Greece, we are doing a scientific research in the University i am attending in green roofs, where we have planted 5 species, one being Sedum sediforme and the rest being other Mediterranean species. We are testing the effect of the substrate depth and the substrate nutrition. So far we have observed that all the sedum sediforme plants we have planted have eventually been subsided. Do you believe that it is because of the competition with the other plants or because of another parameter?
That sounds like very interesting research!
Without knowing more about the study, especially which other species were planted and the weather and soil conditions, we can’t say with any real certainty what the cause of the Sedum sediforme鈥檚 weakness is. Perhaps this study, performed by Michigan State University in the US, would be helpful to you: .
We are at cape cod , Massachusetts. We have several Autum joy seedum in our yard. Should we cut them back to the ground level in winter or should we leave them alone in winter? If left intact in winter should we cut them back in spring. What kind of fertilizer should we use for them? Thank you
