Sedum

Sedum Succulent Description

Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, including up to 600 species of annuals, perennials, creeping herbs, and sub(shrubs). Sedum plants come in a wide variety of heights, colors, and forms.

They are one of the easiest succulents to take care of because they are extremely forgiving of sun and bad-quality soil. Sedum plants are also known as stonecrops thanks to their tough growing habit and their ability to thrive in drought and poor soil. Sedum plants have succulent leaves. They can be grown in containers, as ground covers, wall coverings, in rock gardens, on rooftop gardens, and even in hanging baskets.

CAREGUIDE INSTRUCTION:

• Water

In general, Sedums require very little water to thrive. This is because they have the ability to retain moisture through their leaves and stems, making these plants tolerant of drought and dry, harsh conditions. Just be mindful whenever you give them a drink, as these plants are easy to overwater, leading them to get root rot and will most likely kill them.

The trick here is to give this plant a good soak of water whenever you feel that the soil is dry, especially if you are growing it in an indoor container or if you are located where arid conditions are present. Also, since Sedums have very sensitive leaves, stems, and flowers, so make sure to avoid them from getting wet when you water this plant.

Once the growing season is over, which usually happens during Spring, reduce your watering accordingly to prevent Winter rot.

To make it simple, only water your Sedum until the top 1-inch of the soil dries out. You can check by simply pressing your index finger into the soil at the edge of the pot to see how deep the moisture level is and water sparingly if needed.

• Light:

Just like most succulents, Sedums need to get at least 6 hours of full sun or more per day to stay happy. Just make sure to keep them protected from extreme heat conditions and the harsh afternoon sunlight, as this will most likely damage them.
 

Keep in mind that most Sedums need a lot of direct sunlight exposure to thrive. So if you see yours start to flop over and grow leggy with soft foliage, this means that it is not getting enough sunlight exposure per day. So consider relocating it to a sunnier spot or get a grow light to give them enough light they need per day.

• Temperature

If you are living in a zone where it gets colder than 0 degrees Fahrenheit, it is highly recommended to grow these plants in a pot or container, where they can easily be moved indoors once the temperature starts to drop. Just make sure to place them near a sunny spot, like a south-facing window or in a room where they can get lots of sunlight to improve their overwintering capability. 

• Soil:

Regardless of what variety of Sedum you are growing, you should plant it in well-drained soil. The reason for this is that Sedums do not like sitting in wet for too long, so proper drainage is necessary to avoid root rot due to too much moisture. Consider getting a cactus or succulent mix with neutral to slightly alkaline pH, and just add some pumice, perlite, or grit to promote better drainage.

• Fertilizer

Sedums are low-maintenance and can survive with low nutrient levels in their soil. Typically, you won’t need to fertilize your Sedum at all, but if you want to encourage flowering, add a little compost to your Sedum’s soil during the growing season to give it a tiny nutrient boost.

POTTING AND REPOTTING

If you’re growing a Sedum in a pot, you’ll need to repot it every so often, so it has plenty of space to grow. When you repot, do so during the spring or summer growing season to ensure it has plenty of nutrients and energy to recover from any potential damage that may occur during repotting. When choosing your pot, go with something at least 10% larger than your previous pot, and make sure the pot has a drainage hole and is made of a porous material like concrete, terracotta, or ceramic to improve drainage.

BLOOMING

Sedums bloom in the spring and summer when their growing season has peaked, and they’ve received plenty of sunlight. This massive genus of succulents contains monocarpic and polycarpic varieties, so consider looking into whether or not flowers are a good sign for your particular plant.

To encourage blooming in polycarpic Sedums, increase the amount of light they receive during the summer. You can also add a little compost to your soil and trim away any dead growths so the plant can redirect its energy to bloom. After the blooming period, prune away any flower stalks to keep your Sedum from becoming top-heavy.

PRUNING AND PROPAGATION

Sedums are creeping plants and thus reproduce via offshoots. Typically, you won’t need to prune a Sedum unless it’s spreading too much. To prune your Sedum, find the stem where the offshoot connects to your mother plant and cut it off using a pair of clean, sharp scissors. If you’d like to propagate your Sedum, wait a little longer before you prune an offshoot, so the baby plant just begins to take root. Once roots have started to sprout from the offshoot, cut it from the mother plant and place it in its own little pot! When you prune or propagate, be sure to do so during the growing season for the best results.

DORMANCY

Sedums go dormant during the winter when temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. While some Sedums can handle freezing temperatures without any difficulties, others are not frost-tolerant and will die when exposed to the cold– always look into your specific Sedum’s temperature needs before planting it outdoors.

While dormant, your Sedum will slow its growth to a near halt and may appear dead. However, these hardy little plants are very much alive. During the dormant period, try not to damage your Sedum and cut back on how much water you give it. Typically, a dormant Sedum will only need half as much water as a growing one.