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How to Grow Sedum: The Complete Stonecrop Guide

Photo Credit
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Sedum spp., Hylotelephium spp.
Plant Type
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Soil pH
Varies
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
Orange
Pink
Red
White
Yellow
Hardiness Zone
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Songbirds

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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Sedums

Catherine Boeckmann

Sedums have it all! This perennial plant has succulent green foliage and produces clusters of star-shaped flowers that bloom from midsummer to fall. It’s easy to care for and beloved by pollinators, too! Here’s how to grow sedum in your garden.

About Sedum

Perennial plants don’t get much easier than sedum, a genus of succulents with fleshy stems and succulent leaves鈥攁lso called 鈥渟tonecrop鈥 or 鈥溾 A hardy plant that grows well in shallow soil, this is a sedum variety for almost every garden.

We like to divide sedum into two main categories based on the plants鈥 growth habits: low-growing sedum and upright sedum.

  • Low鈥揼rowing sedum spreads along the ground, reaching only a few inches (or less) in height. This makes them perfect for use as a ground cover along paths, in rock gardens, or cascading down a stone wall.
     
  • Tall or upright sedum tends to form tall, upright clumps that produce large flower heads in tight masses of tiny reddish-pink flowers. Their height and attractive flowers make them good candidates for border gardens or pollinator gardens. A few years ago, upright sedum was reclassified to another genus, Hylotelephium, but it is still commonly referred to as a 鈥渟edum.鈥
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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.)

Sedum with yellow flowers

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.

Sedum

Types

  • Sedum humifusum makes for a great ground cover and has beautiful, bright yellow flowers
  • 鈥楤谤颈濒濒颈补苍迟’, 鈥楢utumn Fire’, and 鈥楢utumn Joy’ upright sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile, aka Sedum spectabile) add bursts of bright pink and magenta to your garden
  • 鈥楤lue Spruce’ (Sedum reflexum) is a low-growing sedum with blue-green, spruce-like foliage and yellow flowers
Gardening Products

Pests/Diseases

  • Mealybugs
  • Scale insects
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Birds, deer, squirrels, and voles may nibble on the succulent foliage of sedum.
Flowers
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Sedum is a very hardy plant and doesn’t require much care. In the fall, you could prune back the growth to about 6 inches if you want to manage its size.  We tend to leave sedum until early spring and let the birds enjoy the seed heads. Then cut or break the stalks at ground level. If your sedum is getting too large, it’s easy to dig up and divide to make more plants.

Mary (not verified)

7 years 1 month ago

Hi... I live in the Pocono area in Pa., and I have sedum in a container... can it survive in my garage? Do they need sun during the winter as well? I'd hate to lose them, I bought them over from my old home when we moved recently, therefore, they are sentimental. Thank you!

Margaret Brademeyer (not verified)

7 years 2 months ago

We live in SE North Dakota. When is the best time to divide and/or move my sedum. Also are there also more colors then the shades of purple in the 15" sedum?

The best time to divide or transplant sedum is in early spring, so it would be best to wait until then to move your plant, if possible. However: if it has to move, it has to move.

Most varieties of upright sedum have flowers in various shades of pink or red with just hints of other colors. Some varieties you might enjoy are 鈥楾hundercloud鈥 (whitish-pink flowers), 鈥楨lsie’s Gold鈥 (yellowish-pink), or 鈥楻ed Cauli鈥 (red flowers with purple-green foliage).

Brenda Morris (not verified)

7 years 3 months ago

What is correct ph level for sedum? Thank you

Hi Brenda,

The best pH level for sedums is different depending on the variety, but the overal best pH is 6. 

Luther (not verified)

7 years 3 months ago

I have a rooftop garden measuring about 3200sq ft. I have a variety of Sedum planted. Unfortunately, Yellow Nutsedge is taking over the garden. There is just too much to realistically pull and stay on top of as I take care of a 37 acre area here in Columbus Ohio. Is there an herbicide that you know of that will help in conjunction with pulling them?

Hi, Luther, To control nutsedge, we would recommend this reference page from your Ohio cooperative extension: Hope this helps!

Fred (not verified)

7 years 3 months ago

I have a number of sedum 'angelina' that seem to be rotting from the center of the plant. The center of the plant is black with no foliage while the rest of plant has normal bright green leaves. Are there rot or dieback concerns with this plant?

Rot is the number one concern for all sedums and succulents. If you’ve been getting a lot of rain or the soil hasn’t had enough time to dry out, it could have caused your sedum to start to rot from the center, where most of its roots are. It might be a good idea to snip off a few small, healthy pieces and stick them in a drier area, just so that you have a backup plant in case the first succumbs to rot.