Practical
Plants

Sedum spectabile

Ice Plant

a perennial member of the Sedum genus in the family Crassulaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Sedum
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.4 m
Spread
0.4 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[2]. The leaves are very mucilaginous but have a fairly bland flavour[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.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is antiphlogistic, depurative, sialagogue[3].

Product or use
Antiphlogistic
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Sialagogue

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plants can be grown as a ground cover when planted about 30cm apart each way[7].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Korea, Manchuria.
Habitat
Valleys, rocky cliffs and damp places along woodlands[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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. Cuttings at almost any time in the growing season. Very easy, even a single leaf will produce roots and form a new plant.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A very easily grown and tolerant plant, it succeeds in most soils[5] but prefers a fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position[6]. Tolerates poor soils[8]. Established plants are drought tolerant[6], they can also tolerate considerable neglect, surviving even in the dense growth of weeds[K]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c[4]. This species has pink flowers[6]. All members of this genus are said to have edible leaves, though those species that have yellow flowers can cause stomach upsets if they are eaten in quantity[12][13]. The flowers have a honey-like smell similar to Buddleias[9]. A very ornamental plant[1], there are some named varieties[4]. The flowers are very attractive to bees and lepidoptera[11]. Plants in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[8].

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. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩1↩2

  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

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  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. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

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

    ↩1↩2

  9. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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

  11. Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-330-26642-x

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

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

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