Practical
Plants

Sedum aizoon

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Sedum
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
0.4 m
Spread
0.4 m
Fertility
self fertile
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

Although not poisonous, if large quantities of this plant are eaten it can cause a stomach upset[10][12].

Edible uses

Leaves and young stems - raw or cooked[2][3]. There is a definite bitterness in the flavour, few people would want to eat them as a regular part of their diet[K].

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The plant is used medicinally[8]. No further information is given.

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Siberia to Japan. A garden escape in N. and C. Europe[9].
Habitat
Dry grassy slopes, dry shrub thickets, dry meadows, rock streams and sandy cliffs[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If sufficient growth is made, it is possible to plant them out during the summer, otherwise keep them in a cold-frame or greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in early summer of the following year[K]. Division is very easy and can be carried out at almost any time in the growing season, though is probably best done in spring or early summer. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation

A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils[5], tolerating those on the poor side[7], though it prefers a fertile well-drained soil[6]. Established plants are drought tolerant[6] although it prefers a soil that stays moist in the summer[4]. Requires a sunny position[5]. Hardy to -15°c according to one report[6] whilst another says that it is hardy to about -25°c[4]. A polymorphic species[1]. Butterflies are attracted to the flowers of this plant[7]. All members of this genus are said to have edible leaves, though those species, such as this one, that have yellow flowers can cause stomach upsets if they are eaten in quantity[10][12]. Plants in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  4. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2

  5. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

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  9. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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  10. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2

  11. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

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  12. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩1↩2

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