Sedum planting and care in the open field in siberia

Sedum (Sedum) or sedum is an unpretentious plant from the Fat family. They are mainly perennial herbaceous plants or undersized shrubs, less often one-, biennial grasses. These can be ground covers (earthen rugs) or ampelous plants. They can be found in mountainous and arid areas throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

The name of the plant is interpreted in different ways. If we consider the origin from the word “sedere”, which means “to sit”, this is justified by the sessile leaves, and the plant as a whole “sits” on the soil surface. Another version: from the word "sedo" - "calmness", since in ancient times the leaves of some species of this plant were used as an anesthetic. Popular names: sedum, hare cabbage, rejuvenated, etc.

Leaf plates are varied in size, shape, color. They can be in the form of balls, barrels, needles, spatulas with solid or serrated edges, the surface is bare or pubescent. On the trunk, they are located opposite, alternately, or they are collected in whorls. Their color varies from juicy light green to dark green, yellow, reddish colors are found.

The flowers are very attractive. They are small, consist of 5 petals, gather at the tops of the shoots in corymbose inflorescences, less often they are located singly in the leaf axils. The color of flowers can be yellow, white, pink, red, blue.

Growing sedum from seeds When to plant seedlings

Sedum seeds sedum photo

Seed propagation is a lengthy process, acceptable only for patient gardeners.

• Sow sedum seeds for seedlings in the spring from early March to mid-April in shallow containers with light soil (leaf and turf soil, sand, peat in equal proportions).
• Pre-stratify the seed for 2 weeks (place the seeds in a container with sand, cover with foil and keep in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator).
• Then sow the seeds, deepening 0.5 cm into the soil.
• Moisten with a spray bottle.
• Cover the crops with foil, glass, maintain the air temperature within 18-20 ° C.
• Moisten the soil periodically, ventilate the greenhouse. Under such conditions, seedlings will appear in a couple of weeks, they can be uneven: seed germination is average.

Sedum from seeds photo of seedlings

• The grown seedlings are seated in separate containers, when they become cramped in a common container, and are grown before planting in open ground.

Before planting, for 10-14 days, the seedlings need to be hardened, taking them out into the air for a couple of hours, and gradually increase the time outside until the seedlings can remain in the fresh air around the clock. Then the plants will be completely ready for planting and will easily tolerate the transplanting process.

Planting sedum in open ground

How to plant sedum in open ground photo

• Plant sedum plant in open ground when the threat of return frost has passed (around the end of May).
• The plant will grow best in an open, well-lit area, light shading is possible.

The plant is unpretentious to the composition of the soil. In the natural environment, sedum grows on depleted stony soils. In the garden, select an area without stagnant moisture and start planting.

• Dig holes about 20 cm deep and up to 25-30 cm in diameter.
• Mix sand and humus in a ratio of 1 to 3, fill in the hole. Then make a depression for the size of the root system and place the seedling, press the soil around it with your hands, water.
• Plant plants close to each other for a lush rug.
• Tall species are located at a distance of 30-40 cm.

Propagation of sedum by cuttings

How to cut sedum sedum photo

The most popular is vegetative propagation (by cuttings, dividing the bush).

Root the cuttings in the area or in the greenhouse. Do it in the spring. The most convenient and affordable - on the site. Dig up the soil, free it from weeds, level the bed.

• Remove the leaves from the lower part of the cutting, stick it into the soil, deepening a few centimeters, press the soil around the cutting slightly.
• Water, provide shade.
• Keep the soil constantly moist.
• After 1-1.5 months, roots will appear, this will be clear by the appearance of young shoots on the cuttings.
• Transfer rooted cuttings together with an earthen clod to a permanent place of growth.

Stonecrop propagation by dividing the bush

How to split sedum bush sedum photo

Tall species are propagated by dividing the bush.

• It is necessary to dig up a bush in early spring, divide it into 3-4 parts (each division should contain a part of the rhizome and growth buds).
• Treat the cut sites with a fungicide.
• Divide the cuttings into holes in accordance with the size of the root system.

How to care for sedum outdoors

Sedum voodoo Sedum spurium "Voodoo" growing from seeds when to plant

Further care of the plant will not be difficult.

Watering and weeding

Sedum is drought-resistant, categorically does not tolerate moisture stagnation. Water occasionally, only in dry weather. Water the retracted sedum more often, keeping the soil slightly moist.

Remove weeds regularly. Sedum caustic is able to cope with them on its own.

Top dressing

It is not worth feeding with mineral fertilizers - the decorative effect of the leaves is lost. Twice a season (before and after flowering) add organic matter in liquid form.

Pruning and wintering

• Remove wilted flower stalks - they not only spoil the overall appearance, but also inhibit further flowering.
• With the onset of cold weather, the stems of tall species should be cut, leaving about 10 cm above the soil level.
• Shelter for the winter is not required.

Diseases and pests

The plant is rarely exposed to diseases.

Excessive moisture (excessive watering, spring floods, heavy rainfall) may cause the plant to rot. Remove the affected areas, treat with a fungicide.

Mealybug, nematodes are possible plant pests. It is necessary to treat with an insecticide.

Types and varieties of sedum sedum with photos and names

The natural environment is home to about 600 plant species. Consider the most popular in cultivation.

Low-growing:

Sedum acrid Sedum acre

Sedum acre photo

Ground cover, about 10 cm high. The leaves are small, diamond-shaped, painted green.Small flowers-stars have a juicy yellow color. Blooms in early June and pleases up to a couple of months. The juice can burn the skin. Pay attention to the varieties: Elegance, Aureum, Blue Forest.

Sedum white Sedum album

Sedum white sedum album photo

Bush up to 15 cm high. The leaves are elongated, ovoid, by autumn they acquire a reddish tint. The flowers are snow-white, fragrant, open in early summer and bloom for about 1.5 months. Popular varieties: Coral, Karpet, Murale.

Sedum hybrid Sedum hybridum

Sedum hybrid Sedum hybridum cultivar Czar's Gold photo

Creeping shoots extend 10-12 cm. Leaves are thin, serrated. Flowers are bright yellow in color. Flowering occurs in July-August.

Medium-sized:

Sedum false Sedum spurium

Sedum sedum false cultivar Tricolor Phedimus spurius (Sedum spurium) ‘Tricolor’ photo

A popular ground cover plant about 20 cm high. The leaves are fleshy, dark green with a reddish tint. Flowers of a pink-red hue open in May, flowering lasts about 2 months. Growing rapidly.

Sedum Kamchatka Sedum kamtschaticum

Sedum sedum Kamchatka Sedum kamtschaticum photo

Shoots are almost straight, reaching a height of 30 cm. The leaf plates are elongated, with a toothed top, dark green in color. The flowers have a yellow-orange color. They open at the beginning of summer, delighting 1.5-2 months.

Tall:

Sedum the tenacious Sedum aizoon

Sedum tenacious Sedum aizoon photo

Sprawling bush 40-50 cm high. Tokyo shoots have a reddish tint. The leaf plates are narrow with sharp tops, light green in color. Blooms all summer. The color of the flowers is pale orange.

Sedum prominent Sedum spectabile

Sedum prominent variety Brilliant Sedum spectabile brillant photo

The height of the bush is 40-50 cm. The leaves are large, oval in shape with jagged edges. Flowers of pink, lilac, purple hue are collected in corymbose inflorescences. Blooms in autumn.

Sedum telephium or rabbit cabbage Sedum telephium

Sedum sedum telephium purple atropurpurea Sedum telephium (Atropurpureum Group) Karfunkelstein photo

The plant is up to half a meter tall. Leaves are fleshy, arranged alternately. Blooms in early autumn.

Sedum morganianum

Sedum Morgan Sedum morganianum photo

Ampel plant with shoots up to 1.5 m long. Stems are densely leafy, fluffy, due to which a different name is given - "monkey's tail". At the ends of the shoots, flowers of a red-pink hue open up. Blooms in early spring. Varieties: Harry Butterfield, Burito.

The best sedum varieties with photos and names

Sedum sedum Sedum telephium cultivar ‘Emperor’s Wave’ photo

Emperor’s Wave with bright purple flowers and dark green leaves will decorate a flower bed, mixborder or become a wonderful border along garden paths.

Sedum Munstead Dark Red Sedum Munstead Dark Red photo of flowers

The maroon, almost black inflorescences and purplish green leaves of Sedum Munstead Dark Red are an exceptionally rare combination that has made it wildly popular with landscape designers.

Sedum Kamchatka caramel Sedum kamtschaticum caramel photo

Sedum Kamchatka Caramel is a hardy drought-resistant ground cover with a bright yellow-orange carpet of densely scattered small flowers.

Sedum morgana burrito Sedum burrito photo

Sedum Burrito can be planted as an ampelous plant, beautifully framing raised flower beds, hanging down with threads of waterfalls.

Sedum Matrona sedum matrona in landscape design photo

Sedum Matrona with delicate pink flowers on purple peduncles and dark green leaves with a burgundy tint is effectively combined with decorative field herbs, immortelles, chamomiles.

Application in landscape design

Sedum sedum lizard photo

Low-growing species and varieties look great on alpine hills, like a ground cover plant, plant them as green islands in rockeries, rose gardens.

Sedum sedum in landscape design photo

You can create a flower garden of extraordinary beauty: plant sedums according to growth, alternate according to the color of the leaves, the flowering period. The foliage is decorative until the onset of cold, and some do not die off even in winter.

Sedum purple in garden design photo

The sedum plant looks very beautiful in mono-plantings, especially against the background of cereal ground covers, conifers, together with echinacea, geychera, chrysanthemums.

Sedum sedum in mixborder photo

Healing properties

The type of sedum (sedum) purple is rich in tannins, calcium salts, and various organic acids. For the healing of purulent wounds, the treatment of burns, gruel from leaves is used. To heal ulcers, take an infusion.

The sedum caustic has a diuretic, irritating, analgesic effect.

The sedum is useful in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, relieves pain, heals wounds, strengthens the immune system.

To decorate the landscape design of the garden, they are often used succulent sedum plants... In nature, stonecrops grow on meadows and dry slopes of South and North America, Eurasia and Africa. More than three hundred species of this plant are known, of which about a hundred are grown in culture. Of these, Morgana sedum is grown as an indoor flower and many species and varieties are grown in gardens.

Description and types of stonecrop

Biennial or perennial herbaceous succulent plants can be shrub or subshrub. They have varied in color, the shape and size of fleshy leaves, inflorescences in the form of a brush, umbrella or shield and star-shaped flowers of various shades. Sedum bloom begins in summer and continues until frost.

In the gardens, winter-hardy species of stonecrop are grown, which have erect or creeping stems. They are unpretentious to care for and drought-resistant, however, they require good lighting. In indoor conditions, tropical sedum is used to decorate the room.

Types of stonecrops

Sedums can be like ground cover plants, and rather tall shrubs. To decorate the landscape design of the garden, five types are most often used:

1. The sedum is a prominent bush up to half a meter high. In nature, it is widely distributed in Northeast China, Japan and North Korea. The sedum is distinguished by erect stems, tuberous thickened roots, oval or spatulate large green-blue leaves and lilac-pink or purple-carmine flowers. The inflorescences of the sedum have a prominent half-umbrella view and reach fifteen centimeters in diameter.
2. False sedum is a perennial winter-hardy plant with ascending or creeping stems, long rhizomes, dark green fleshy ovoid-wedge-shaped leaves and pink or purple flowers that gather in dense corymbose inflorescences.
3. Sedum caustic got its name due to the fact that its juice can cause ulcers on the skin. It grows naturally in North America, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Western Siberia and the European part of Russia. The plant is distinguished by dark green fleshy leaves up to six millimeters long, rounded branched stems, half-umbellate inflorescences and golden yellow flowers. The caustic sedum reaches a height of only ten centimeters. It has many different forms, is frost-resistant and does not shed its leaves even in winter.
4. The sedum white is a low-growing evergreen perennial with white fragrant flowers. Its panicle inflorescences consist of several branches. In nature, the plant is found in North Africa, Asia Minor, Western Europe, the Caucasus and Russia. The bushes grow up to five centimeters in height and, depending on the variety, may have green, bronze or purple leaves.
5. Sedum large is popularly called hare cabbage, live grass, crow fat, bean grass. This plant with an erect stem grows up to thirty centimeters and has oval flat leaves jagged along the edges, which have toning and strengthening medicinal properties... The color of the flowers depends on the variety and can be creamy white, green or yellowish white or dark purple. In nature, sedum plant grows on the slopes of ravines, in pine forests and bushes, in the fields and edges of forests in Europe and Asia.

In addition to the species described, subulate, six-rowed, Foster's, narrow-leaved, sedum, Kuril, Kamchatka, hybrid, Alberta, spatulate and many other species and varieties are also used in gardening.

Planting and growing stonecrop from seeds

To get bloom the next year, sedums are grown from seeds. To do this, planting seed should be started in March-April.

Sowing seeds is done as follows:

1. The seedling containers are filled with a mixture of sand and garden soil, which is sprinkled with coarse sand on top.
2. Seeds are sown in moist prepared soil at a distance of four to five centimeters from each other.
3. Crops from a spray bottle are sprayed with water at room temperature and covered with glass.
4. Seedling boxes installed in a cool place with an air temperature from 0 to + 5 degrees. You can place them on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. In such conditions, the seeds will undergo stratification, after which they will sprout together.
5. In a cool planting site, it must be kept for two weeks. At this time, the glass must be lifted every day in order to ventilate the soil and check its moisture content. If the soil is dry, it is moistened by spraying.
6. After fourteen days, the seedling containers are transferred to room conditions with an air temperature of + 18 ... + 20 degrees.
7. The soil needs to be ventilated every day and moisturize if necessary.

In about fifteen to thirty days, the seeds will hatch and seedlings will appear. When there are a lot of seedlings, the glass is removed. Sedum seedlings are very small and should be watered carefully.

When two true leaves appear, young plants dive into small hotel containers. Seedling care consists in regularly spraying the soil and loosening it. At the end of April or in May, depending on the climate of the region, seedlings begin accustom to the open air... This is done a week before sedum planting in the garden. On the first day, the plants are exposed on the balcony or plot for one hour, but the hardening time increases every day.

Growing sedums in the open field

As soon as the threat of the last frost has passed, you can start planting seedlings in open ground. A well-lit area is selected for cleaning. Plants can grow in partial shade, but from a lack of light they will stretch out and not bloom so abundantly.

Plot it is recommended to choose an openso that no deciduous shrubs or trees grow on it. If the stonecrops fall asleep with foliage in the fall, then in the spring they may not germinate through it.

Sedums are unpretentious to the soil, so they are often used to decorate rocky hills. But the leaves will become even more beautiful, and the flowering will be plentiful, if you add a little organic fertilizer in the form of compost or humus to the soil during planting.

Young plants are planted at a distance of twenty centimeters from each other. After planting, they must be watered.

Care features

Sedum care includes rare watering only during the heat, when there has been no rain for a long time. Fleshy leaves of succulents accumulate moisture in themselves, therefore plants are capable go without water for a long time. If the soil is constantly wet, the roots and stems of stonecrop can begin to rot.

It is recommended to feed sedums in spring and autumn, for which in summer they will thank with beautiful flowering. You can use organic fertilizers:

• bird droppings are diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20;
• mullein is bred 1:10.

Fresh manure is not used for succulents. Instead of organic matter, fertilizing can be done with mineral fertilizers.

The soil around the bushes regularly cleared of weeds... Rapidly growing ground cover sedums do not allow weeds to grow, therefore, it is easier to care for them.

Stonecrops are often used to decorate alpine hills and flower beds. To make the plantings look neat, the shoots of the plant are regularly pruned.Dried leaves and withered shoots also need to be removed.

Sedum transplant and rejuvenation

Every five years, stonecrops must be rejuvenated, for this their old shoots are cut off, and fresh soil mixed with fertilizers is poured under the root. But it is best to transplant the plants to a new place, dividing it into parts and getting several new ones from one old bush.

Sedum - reproduction

Stonecrops can be propagated in several ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• dividing the bush.

Seed propagation has been described above. It is used only for breeding new varieties, using for this purchased seeds... When growing sedum from seed collected in autumn, the plant will lose its varietal characteristics.

Propagation by cuttings

Before or after flowering, shoots are cut from the bush, from which cuttings with several nodes about ten centimeters long are cut. The lower leaves are removed and the cuts are placed on a bed of loose soil. Make sure that one or two knots are dug into the ground.

If cuttings were made in autumn, then the cuttings should be kept at home until spring. To do this, they are placed in a container of water and stored until planting in the garden. To prevent the water from souring, it is regularly changed. During the winter, many roots are formed on each cuttings, and they can be planted in a permanent bed. If the roots are formed and grow back quickly, then the segments can be planted first in a pot and grown sedum until spring at home.

Reproduction by division

In this way, stonecrops that have already grown and have reached the age of five multiply. Also, bushes can be divided at tall sedums. To do this, in early spring, the plant is carefully dug up. The roots need to be cleared of soil, and to determine which of them have buds. Each new bush should have several roots and buds.

If the rhizomes are tangled and intertwined, they are divided using a pruner or scissors. Sections are treated with a solution of fungicidal preparations.

Divided sedums are laid out in the shade and dried for several hours. After that, they can be planted on a new a pre-prepared bed.

Sedum in landscape design

Since sedums are different in height, shape, color of leaves and flowers, they can be used to decorate almost any corner of the garden:

1. Flowering succulents planted on a flower bed can be combined with any both short and tall plants. Even after the annuals have faded, stonecrops will decorate the flower garden with their beautiful leaves until the very frost.
2. With the help of tall sedums, beautiful borders, along which it will be pleasant to walk.
3. Stonecrop with stones will be beautifully and harmoniously combined. The composition can be created on an alpine slide, hillside, or even on a flat area.
4. Sedums can be planted in any small container and renew the appearance of the garden several times during the season.
5. You can make a beautiful lawn from densely planted sedum. The downside of this design is that you cannot walk on such a lawn.

Beautiful and unpretentious succulent sedum plants are ideal for decorating any part of the garden. Caring for them is so simple that even a novice gardener can grow stonecrops in his area and create with their help a unique alpine slide or flower bed.

Sedum (sedum) - planting and care in the open field

Sedum, or sedum, is an adornment of any garden, it is not for nothing that it is so popular among gardeners in Russia. Sedum is quite unpretentious in terms of maintenance and easily tolerates planting in open ground. Sedum looks rather original: it has small, fleshy leaves and covers the soil with a dense carpet. It is not for nothing that the name of this flower, translated from Latin, means “sitting”. Sedum is often used in landscaping, as it is able to fill large areas of the garden with its lush vegetation.

Features of sedum

 Sedum belongs to the genus of succulents and is a "distant relative" such as:

• Cacti;
• Aloe;
• Kalanchoe;
• Spurge.

A characteristic feature of succulents is the ability to store water in plant tissues for a long time. Sedum is a ground cover plant. It does not differ in the uprightness of the stem and creates a kind of "green mass" in the flowerbed or around it.

It should be borne in mind that sedum can interfere with some species of ornamental plants with its tendency to overgrow. The sedum shoots wide and often covers large areas.

Sedum is a perennial, less often a biennial plant. It is a honey plant and attracts pollinating insects to the garden. Sedum is used as an ornamental plant, as well as in folk medicine.

Transplant to open ground

In nature, sedum grows, as a rule, on stony and sandy soils. This plant is not demanding on the place of growth. The main thing is that the soil allows water to pass through. In principle, sedum can be grown on any soil, so it is often used to decorate an alpine slide.

It should be borne in mind that sedum will not grow on swampy soil. This plant, like other representatives of the succulent genus, does not like excessive moisture and prefer arid places. For planting sedum, they choose sunny, well-lit places.

The first step is to prepare the ground for the sedum. With insufficient light, the sedum will begin to grow upward and lose its decorative qualities. It is also worth choosing a place with good drainage, i.e. a place where water does not stagnate. The selected area of ​​soil must be cleaned of fallen leaves so that the sedum shoots can break through from the ground to the surface. It is not recommended to plant sedum in open ground next to deciduous trees or shrubs. In other words, to plant a sedum you need:

• Sunny place;
• Permeable soil;
• Lack of fallen leaves;
• Lack of nearby trees and bushes.

It is important to take into account general recommendations, however, before planting, it is better to familiarize yourself with the requirements for a particular type of stonecrop: there are species that feel better in shady and humid places.

In order for sedum to take root, it is advised to add humus or compost to the soil. You can mix sand and humus in a ratio of 3 to 1 and mix with soil intended for planting sedum.

Conditions for planting sedum:

• Suitable place and soil;
• Kopmost and humus for feeding;
• Fertilizing the soil with ash and sand;
• Weed removal;
• Watering when planting.

It is best not to transplant sedum frequently. Some types of stonecrop do not tolerate a change in the place of growth at all, but for the rest it is undesirable. Stonecrop root system is tender, and roots lie on the surface. Only transplant sedum when absolutely necessary. It is not necessary to transplant sedum more often than twice a year.

Transplanting sedum into open ground is carried out in the spring, when the shoots are still low. Stonecrop is planted from mid-May to mid-October. It is best to plant sedum at the end of May, when there is no longer any threat of frost. During transplantation, the sedum is often divided into parts.

Before planting, the soil should be loosened and fertilized. A small hole is dug in the ground, which is filled with humus and sand. After that, the shoot is rooted, and the soil around it is crushed. Then the plant should be watered.

Plant care

 Like any plant, sedum needs to be cared for. Despite the sufficient unpretentiousness, stonecrop requires the creation of certain conditions for growth and development.

The sedum plant does not need frequent watering. It is enough only sometimes to give the plant the necessary moisture, especially during periods of drought or abnormal heat. In rainy times, the sedum does not need to be watered. Excessive watering of the sedum leads to its death.

The land should sometimes be fertilized with mineral fertilizers.

If the leaves of the sedum begin to turn pale, mineral fertilizer should be added to the garden at least 1-2 times per summer.

If the leaves of stonecrop began to turn pale and yellow, this means that it lacks either sunlight or nutrients. If fertilizer doesn't work, repot the plant in a sunnier location.

Sedum care involves:

• Cleaning the flower bed from weeds;
• Fertilizing the plant with minerals (ash, compost, as well as ready-made fertilizers are suitable for this purpose);
• Removal of dry shoots and leaves;
• Disease and pest control;
• Regular and necessary watering of the plant.

Periodically, sedum must be propagated by division. The plant can grow in one place for about five years, after which you need to divide the bush and transplant part of it to another place. Removing dried leaves promotes better stonecrop reproduction. If you notice that sedum is gradually degenerating, find a new place for it on your personal plot.

Stonecrop should be fed twice: before and after flowering. They are fed, as a rule, with both mineral and organic fertilizers. However, it is worth remembering that excessive fertilization of the soil leads to the fact that the plant begins to resist worse adverse weather conditions.

In spring and autumn, it is recommended to fertilize sedum with liquid organic matter. To do this, it is necessary to prepare an infusion of mullein in a ratio of 1 to 10 or an infusion of bird droppings in a ratio of 1 to 20. Do not use fresh manure to fertilize sedum.

Pests and diseases

It is important not to forget to protect the sedum from various pests.

Most often, sedum affects:

• Nematodes (infect the root of the plant). As a result, the plant withers, the leaves turn pale. There is no way to deal with nematodes. The plant is simply removed by the root;
• Thrips and aphids (infect the roots of stonecrop). These parasites deplete the plant and spoil the leaves. Insecticides are used against them;
• Weevil (affects leaves). It is recommended to collect and burn these beetles.

The sedum is often affected by rot. This is due to unsuitable conditions, for example, if the soil is too damp. In this case, it is recommended to transplant the plant to another location.

Wintering

Sedum is a frost-resistant plant. He tolerates the winter well. Nevertheless, it is still better to leave some species in a shelter for the winter.

To care for stonecrop you need:

• Regular loosening of the soil;
• Inspection of the plant;
• Removal of dead shoots;
• Pruning shoots for winter or spring.

In addition to removing weeds, loosening the soil also plays an important role. Stonecrops need careful weeding, which is of great benefit to their root system. Weeding the soil greatly affects the growth of the plant and its decorative properties.

Stonecrop must be inspected every spring. If you notice dead shoots or leaves, they need to be removed. This will give the plant a pleasant appearance and promote its reproduction.

When the first frosts come, stonecrop must be cut off, leaving shoots several centimeters long (3-4), then covered with earth or covered. Sedum shoots root well, so cut stems can be planted in the garden the following year. If you do not cut off sedum for the winter, nothing bad will happen, but it will lose its attractive appearance. In this case, the sedum will still have to be cut off in the spring.

Sedum is a perennial herbaceous or shrub species

The sedum belongs to the genus of succulents from the Tolstyankov family. Its Latin name Sédum can be translated in two ways, as "subsiding" or "sitting".

Both interpretations make sense: some types of sedum are still used as an analgesic (it is not for nothing that the plant is popularly called hernial or febrile herb).

And the plant was named “sitting”, most likely, for its peculiarity to adhere tightly to the ground, forming a carpet covering the soil.

General information

The sedum grows in Eurasia, Africa, North and South America, preferring dry meadows and slopes for settlement.

Sedum is a perennial plant, although biennial varieties are also available. Depending on the species, sedum can be a herbaceous, semi-shrub or even shrub plant, not exceeding 1 meter in height.

Stonecrop leaves are fleshy, dense, smooth, but in shape they can be very different. They come in the following forms:

• needle-like;
• spherical;
• barrel-shaped;
• monetary;
• shovel-shaped.

If the leaf is wide and flat, quite often there is a wavy border or denticles along its edge.

The color of the leaves can range from almost white to purple, from pale green to orange.

Sedum, or Sedium, is a rather unpretentious plant

Stonecrop stellate flowers are very decorative.

Due to its small size, each individual flower is not of particular interest, but, blooming on a carpet of succulent leaves, flowers of white, pink, cream, reddish shades cover it with an airy delicate cloud.

There are several main types of stonecrops:

• Shrub. These include sedum "Hare cabbage", stonecrop, Carpathian sedum.
• Overgrown. This sedum is hybrid, six-row, Kamchatka, tenacious.
• Evergreen. This includes such types of sedum as acrid, white and escaping.
• Creeping. The group includes false sedum, opposite-leaved, Siebold.

Each of the listed species has many varieties and takes its place in the decoration of the garden.

Landing

Sedum is a rather unpretentious plant, but varietal specimens require some attention.

Seat selection

For planting sedum on the site, you should choose a well-lit place, far from trees and shrubs.

The sedum will not die in the shade, but far from the sun's rays, it loses its decorative effect: the stems of the plant stretch out, flowering stops, while under the influence of light, the leaves gain color, the plant multiplies rapidly and blooms profusely.

The plant does not tolerate the proximity of deciduous trees: it is difficult for sedum stems to break through the layer of fallen leaves.

Timing for boarding

Sedum can be planted in the ground from mid-May to mid-October. A later planting will not allow the plant to form a root system strong enough for successful wintering.

Planting and caring for rudbeckia - growing rules and instructions for breeding.

Read about the features of planting annual dahlias here.

Soil preparation

Sedum prefers light, well-drained soils, where there is no stagnant moisture.

To prepare a planting site for a flower, you need:

1. Dig a small hole 50 cm in diameter, up to 20 cm deep.
2. Fill the pit with a 3: 1 mixture of sand and humus.
3. Sprinkle gravel or rubble around the planted plants.

Planted in a properly prepared substrate, sedum can grow in one place without problems for up to 5 years.

For planting and caring for stonecrop, see the video plot:

Reproduction

Sedum reproduce in three ways: by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush.

Seed method

It is not difficult to propagate stonecrop by seeds. You can plant seeds at home in the spring, and with the onset of warmth, plant the seedlings in a permanent place, or you can sow seeds directly into the ground.

Planting seeds is best done in late May - early April.

Pour soil into the container, consisting of humus, garden soil and sand, taken in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. The soil should be moistened, and then the seeds should be sown. At the same time, to retain moisture, it is better to keep the container under a film or under glass.

Seedlings will appear soon, and after the appearance of the first true leaves, the seedlings should be transplanted into open ground.

During the first year, the plants grown from seeds do not bloom, this phenomenon should be expected no earlier than in the second year of sedum life.

Cuttings

To propagate sedum by cuttings, you need to cut off a part of an adult plant, be it a side or main stem, transfer it to a prepared place and deepen it 2-3 cm into the ground. The soil around should be compacted and watered.

To get 100% result, it is better to plant several seedlings in one place at once, so they will grow faster.

When propagating stonecrop by cuttings, it is better to plant several cuttings next to it.

Dividing the bush

This is the easiest way to quickly and painlessly increase the sedum population at the site.

To divide the plant, it must be watered, and then stretch out part of the bush along with the root and soil. After that, the plant must be arranged in a prepared place and watered again.

Care

After planting in the ground, sedum needs frequent shallow loosening and removal of weeds: the plant does not tolerate such a neighborhood.

It is worth noting that there are some types of sedum that thrive and drive out weeds on their own.

Sedum needs pruning: dying leaves, shoots and peduncles that violate the decorative effect of the cover should be removed. Another plus of pruning is the rejuvenation of the plant: it takes on an attractive and well-groomed appearance, in addition, there is free space for rooting young shoots.

Watering the plant is often unnecessary: ​​like other succulents, it is able to accumulate moisture and go without water for a long time.

Top dressing

The sedum should be fertilized twice a season: before and after flowering. For this, you can use both organic and mineral fertilizers.

Sedum responds especially well to fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers and diluted manure.

In the fall, you should not feed the plant, in this case it will not tolerate wintering well.

Stonecrop care consists in loosening the soil, pruning and feeding.

Winter care

Sedum is a frost-resistant plant, but for the best preservation in snowless frosty winters, it can be covered with spruce branches or a special cloth.

Pest and disease control

The main pests of stonecrop are:

• false caterpillars of sawflies, damaging leaves and young shoots;
• aphids settling on the tops of the shoots;
• thrips, the appearance of which leads to the curvature of the tops of the plants;
• weevil gnawing leaf plates.

Modern insecticides such as "Aktelik" and "Fitoverm" will help to get rid of parasites.

Sedum is practically not susceptible to diseases, the most common problem is the appearance of dark spots on the leaves. This phenomenon is usually caused by a fungal infection.

To prevent the spread of the disease, the affected shoots are cut and burned, and the plants are treated with antifungal drugs.

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Popular varieties

There are more than 600 types of stonecrop in the world, most of which have many varieties. The most interesting for gardeners are:

Sedum sexangulare (six-rowed) - beautiful pinkish-green leaves, more precisely, their six-row spiral arrangement. Unpretentious and rapidly growing variety.

Sedum cyaneum (blue) - a low carpet sedum with leaves of an unusual blue - lilac color.

Sedum Cristatum (bending back) - silvery-green sedum with erect flattened, very thick curving stems. The unusual shape gives the plant a resemblance to an outlandish coral.

Sedum pluricaule (multi-stem) - has rounded, rosette leaves of a red-green hue. The flowers are bright pink, collected in inflorescences. When growing, the flower forms a multi-colored bright carpet.

Sedumhispanicum 'Aureum - differs in yellow-green color scheme. Forms small shrubs up to 15 cm high.

Sedum spathulifolium (cinquefoil) - has pointed silvery or reddish fleshy leaves. It blooms with golden stars, collected in an inflorescence.

The listed varieties are shown in the photo:

Application in landscape design

Sedums are often used as a solo group on their own: they are especially good for creating large carpeted lawns.Often, multilevel flower beds are formed from these flowers, planting several varieties of stonecrops that favorably set off each other.

Basically, stonecrops are designed to appear in compositions: creeping varieties are good in the foreground of flower beds, when decorating a lawn, for framing a flower garden or highlighting a garden path.

They are great for decorating fountains and ponds. Often, creeping stonecrops are planted in pots or other suspended structures.

Sedums are also good as a company for non-aggressive perennials.

The use of sedum in landscape design depends on its variety, but it is usually used for compositions with other perennials

When planting sedum on their site, gardeners should pay attention to a small nuance: when sedums bloom, they are pollinated, resulting in new hybrid forms that can amaze with their unusual shapes and colors.

Jul 22, 2015Elena Tymoshchuk