Sedum, also known as Showy Stonecrop or Border Stonecrop, is an attractive and hardy perennial plant with hundreds of varieties. Sedum is a popular plant for landscaping because it is easy to care for and it's fall blooms come in a wide array of vivid colors.
Sedum for Borders
The taller species of sedum are best for borders and look great when planted with tall grasses. Some of the best sedum varieties for borders include:
- Autumn Joy
- Abbeydore
- Matrona
- Vera Jameson
- Neon
- Black Jack
Sedum for Groundcover
A multitude of low growing sedum varieties make excellent groundcover and can thrive in almost any type of soil. These hardy little plants virtually take care of themselves, requiring very little attention:
- Dragon's Blood
- Rose Carpet
- Voodoo
- Mossy Stonecrop
- Tricolor
- Capo Blanco
- Bainbridge
- Blue Spruce
- Angelina
- John Creech
Sedum for Containers
Sedum is a great plant type for a variety of different containers. You can plant different types of Sedum, both short and tall, to create a unique and interesting contrast. Naturally, you will need a deeper, larger container if you plan to plant tall sedum varieties.
Sedums fall into a category of plants known as succulents. Succulents are fleshy-leaved plant species such as aloes, kalanchoes and sempervivums. These types of plants are able to thrive in harsh environments and are able to tolerate intense sun, drought and poor soil.
Low growing sedum varieties make beautiful and interesting arrangements in shallow containers. You can also try sedum species that grow to a medium height, in between the low growing and tall stemmed species, in containers such as strawberry pots. Barrels, troughs and a variety of planters can be used to create miniature gardens both indoors and outdoors with sedum species such as:
- White Diamond
- Blue Carpet
- Sandys Silver Crest
- Turkish Delight
- Variegatum
- Fruland
- Superbum
Benefits of Sedum
In addition to being one of the easiest types of plants to care for, there are other advantages to planting sedum. Most species are late bloomers, therefore once the summer blooms of other flowering plants have faded away, sedum makes a beautiful fall display in your garden that often carries over far into the winter. Sedum blooms also attract wildlife into your garden such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
The taller sedum species often used in borders stand tall throughout the winter, with their seed heads attracting birds. Low to medium growing sedum plants are excellent choices for filling in gaps in landscaping designs and provide beautiful groundcover with their fleshy, plump, multicolored foliage. If you have spots on your property where the soil is poor and can't support most other types of plants, you can fill in these areas with sedum. Varieties such as Roseflower Stonecrop and Heckner's Stonecrop make excellent additions to rock gardens or stonewalls.
If you own property in remote areas where wildlife such as deer and rabbits make regular appearances in your yard or garden, there are many types of sedum you can add to your landscape that are undesirable for these animals to eat, such as:
- Fulda Glow
- Autumn Joy
- Autumn Charm
- Angelina
- Voodoo
- Cauticola
Something for Everyone
With over 400 varieties of sedum available in all shapes, sizes and colors, there is bound to be a type of sedum that will appeal to any gardener. Not every type of sedum requires intense sun and dry, well-drained soil. Some varieties thrive in shady areas with cooler temperatures and moist soil. No matter what type of climate you live in, you only have to do your research to discover which types of sedum will make a great addition to your home.
