Growing Stonecrops: Tips at a Glance
- Type Succulent
- Lifespan Perennial
- USDA Zones 5-9
- Light Sun or partial shade
- Water Has its own supply
- Where to Plant Flower beds
- Design Tip Evergreen
- Companions Ornamental grasses
- Peak Season Autumn joy
Stonecrops: A Field Guide
Stonecrops may be the most diverse group of succulents, with hundreds of varieties that range from ground covers to shrubs. They’re among the hardiest succulents too.
Stonecrops are a diverse group, so choose the one that’s best for your garden (and then next year, you can add another “best.”) Most sedums are hardy in temperate climates, making creeping varieties reliable perennial ground covers. Others, like ‘Autumn Joy’, belong in a perennial bed where their late-season flowers will bring hope even to a gardener who knows winter is ahead. Crinkly-leafed Sedum cauticola hails from Japan and has silvery green foliage that hugs the ground. Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’ is evergreen and its deep purple leaves will create a colorful carpet.