Practical
Plants

Sedum spurium

Caucasian Stonecrop

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

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

Uses

Edible uses

Leaves - raw or cooked. The leaves are thick and juicy but somewhat astringent and with a slight bitterness[K].

Plant part
Leaves

Material uses

Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position[2][4]. It requires weeding for the first year or so[2].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
E. Europe - Caucasus. A garden escape in Britain[6].
Habitat
Rocks in moist regions in the middle and upper alpine zones[8].
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

Succeeds in most soils[1] but prefers a fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position[3]. Established plants are drought tolerant[3]. Tolerates poor soils. Hardy to about -5°c[3]. A mat-forming plant, it is very invasive[8]. The flowers of this species are white or pink[3]. 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[7][9]. Plants in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[5].

References

  1. 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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  2. Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-304-31089-1

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

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

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

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  7. 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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  8. Evans. R. L. Handbook of Cultivated Sedums. Science Reviews 1983-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  9. 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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