13 Best Stonecrop Varieties for Your Rock Yard

When it comes time to design your yard, actually certainly one of my best objects of advice is to indicate to nature. While you may be able to coax a desert plant to survive inside the humid southeast or use shade material to protect a woodland plant from the merciless photo voltaic present in an open yard, it’s easier to resolve on vegetation successfully suited to your ambiance. 

So, must you’re looking out for vegetation to brighten up rock gardens, stone partitions, and patios filled with pavers, flip to stonecrops! These vegetation develop on uncovered rocky cliffs and mossy woodland boulders, so that they’re well-suited to the shallow, poor soil often current in rock gardens and related areas. Plus, they’re proof against deer, rabbits, and completely different problematic pests.

And don’t assume you’re restricted to some decisions! You probably can choose from vining stonecrops with tiny leaves that resemble pine needles and varieties that ship up tall steps topped with vibrant flower clusters. With loads vary in types of stonecrop, it could be robust to resolve which vegetation to resolve on. That’s why I’ll introduce you to 13 of the proper stonecrop varieties in order so as to add to your rock yard.

Stonecrop and Sedum: What’s the Distinction?

Sooner than I dive into some stonecrop varieties that work successfully in rock gardens, let’s clear up some widespread confusion surrounding the phrases sedum and stonecrop. Are these two phrases interchangeable? Does one nestle inside the reverse?

Sedum is the genus title used to clarify a bunch of roughly 420 species, nevertheless people often use the widespread time interval sedum to hunt recommendation from any of these vegetation. Using the genus title to clarify included species moreover occurs with vegetation like violas and fuchsias.

The Sedum genus used to incorporate further species, nevertheless scientists reclassified a number of of those vegetation into the smaller, separate genera Hylotelephium and Rhodiola. Although the species in these genera technically at the moment are not members of the Sedum genus, people often nonetheless search recommendation from them as sedums.

So, what about stonecrop? It appears stonecrop is solely the widespread title for any member of the Sedum genus and related genera. So it is best to use the phrases sedum and stonecrop interchangeably. 

13 Best Stonecrop Varieties for Your Rock Yard

Although all types of stonecrop develop successfully in poor and shallow soil, each choice has distinctive preferences. As an example, some types of sedum develop successfully in dappled shade, whereas others require full photo voltaic to thrive. Study through the following traits of each plant and select one (or further) that’s greatest for you!

Woodland Stonecrop

Typically often known as wild stonecrop, whorled stonecrop, mountain stonecrop, and three-leaved stonecrop, this species is native to loads of {the japanese} and central United States. It naturally grows on rocks and boulders inside the dappled shade of forests, meaning it’s an outstanding different for partially shaded rock gardens. Since these vegetation take care of moisture larger than differing types of sedum, they’re moreover a superb match for moist and mossy areas.

As far as appears to be, woodland stonecrop maintains a short and vining sort that sprawls to sort a dense groundcover. In the middle of the late spring and early summer season season, the vegetation ship up transient flower stalks lined in white, star-shaped flowers with 4 delicate petals.

Woodland stonecrop doesn’t ideas moist soil or shade, nevertheless it requires good drainage. Fortuitously, most rocky areas are naturally well-draining. You’ll be able to even plant it in containers filled with sandy or coarse soil.

‘Autumn Pleasure’ Sedum

‘Autumn Pleasure’ is among the many hottest sorts of tall stonecrops. In case you’ve seen a plant with succulent-like gentle inexperienced leaves and tall stems topped with clusters of tiny pink flowers, chances are good it was ‘Autumn Pleasure!’

The vegetation produce their gorgeous flowers within the midst of summer season season, and the blooms stick spherical until the autumn. Even after the flowers fade, ‘Autumn Pleasure’ gives curiosity to the yard as a result of the blooms change from pink to warmth shades of orange.

Since ‘Autumn Pleasure’ vegetation develop a number of ft tall, they work successfully in greater plantings of drought-tolerant flowers. Merely be sure to don’t over-fertilize or overwater them—these vegetation develop best in poor, dry soil and might bear must you current them with an extreme quantity of tender care.

Cliff Stonecrop

Typically often known as Appalachian stonecrop, this species grows on limestone outcrops inside the Mid-Atlantic space. Nonetheless, it’s concentrated in a small house, so it’s robust to see inside the wild. No matter this, the vegetation survive successfully in rock gardens and make good additions to native plant gardens. 

Its improvement sort is type of distinctive, with small rosettes of leaves defending the underside. Numerous the leaves are gentle inexperienced, nevertheless these near the pores and skin of the rosette flip a shocking rosy pink. Given that rosettes keep transient, this stonecrop is an outstanding flooring cowl for rocky areas or sandy soils. In the middle of the late spring and summer season season, the vegetation ship up transient flower stalks lined in white and pink flowers.

Like most types of stonecrop, this plant prefers poor and well-draining soil. Cliff stonecrop prefers partial shade or dappled gentle, so it makes a superb plant for the sides of properties or the understory of taller vegetation.

White Stonecrop

Everytime you check out white stonecrop’s gentle inexperienced leaves, you may marvel what the time interval white refers to. Nonetheless your confusion will fade while you see the vegetation’ clusters of white, star-shaped flowers.

White stonecrop grows by means of spreading stems that will root into the underside, so it could nicely shortly develop and develop inside the appropriate ambiance. Whereas this generally is a good issue must you’re looking out for a plant to fill in empty areas, bear in mind white stonecrop can sometimes choke out completely different low-lying vegetation.

Attributable to its extreme tolerance of vibrant gentle, extreme temperatures, and shallow soils, white stonecrop is a popular plant for inexperienced roofs and xeriscapes. Nonetheless, don’t assume you can stroll on this tender plant! Like most types of stonecrop, its fragile leaves will transform damaged when trampled. 

Cascade Stonecrop

Typically often known as spreading stonecrop, this plant produces small, rounded leaves alongside sprawling stems. In case you squint and use somewhat little bit of creativeness, it nearly appears to be identical to the stems are lined in inexperienced jelly beans! The vegetation moreover produce vibrant yellow flowers within the summertime.

As its widespread title suggests, Cascade stonecrop is native to areas inside the Pacific Northwest with well-draining soil and on the very least partial photo voltaic. Attempt planting it in rock gardens or completely different areas with free and nutrient-poor soil.

Sedum ‘Blue Spruce’ 

In case you’re looking out for a reasonably stonecrop to fill a gravel-covered house of your yard or path over a rock wall, put ‘Blue Spruce’ in your file. This hybrid choice produces trailing stems lined with skinny, pointed, blue-green leaves that resemble spruce needles. 

Whereas the foliage alone is engaging, the vegetation moreover ship up tall flower stalks topped with vibrant yellow blooms. These flowers proceed blooming for a few month and are favorites of useful bugs, along with butterflies, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps.

As long as ‘Blue Spruce’ receives on the very least six hours of vibrant gentle on daily basis, it is a hardy and easy-to-grow plant. Consider to plant this stonecrop in an house with well-draining soil, and don’t overlook these vegetation thrive with little water and fertilizer.

Sedum ‘Angelina’

A lot of the stonecrop varieties on this file cowl the underside with muted shades of inexperienced, nevertheless ‘Angelina’ mixes points up with chartreuse and yellow leaves. S,  in case you want to brighten up your rock yard, that’s the stonecrop for you!

‘Angelina’ is one different sprawling stonecrop with trailing stems that develop to sort a dense groundcover. If provided with the proper care and ambiance, a single plant can in the end cowl larger than a cubic yard of space! Nonetheless, you can merely pull rooted stems from the underside to incorporate the plant’s unfold.

The vegetation produce yellow flowers, nevertheless it’s often robust to see these blooms amidst the identical colored leaves. Whereas these flowers fade inside the fall, the vegetation positioned on a model new current as their leaves fade to orange.

Sedum ‘Coral Reef’

A hybrid variety of the stonecrop usually commonly known as Chinese language language sedum, ‘Coral Reef’ stands out from completely different stonecrops attributable to its disk-shaped leaves. These rounded and flattened leaves appear alongside trailing stems, leading to a whimsical look. Everytime you add within the fact that the leaves are a mixture of inexperienced and pink, it’s simple to see why this choice is a popular addition to well-drained areas.

When prolonged days arrive, the vegetation ship up stems lined in tiny flowers that might be some shade of pink, yellow, or white. The flowers stick spherical for on the very least a month as long as the vegetation acquire enough photo voltaic.

To keep up these vegetation utterly completely happy, plant them in an house with direct photo voltaic and well-draining soil. Each moist or dry soil is okay—merely guarantee that the plant isn’t sitting in fastened moisture.

Mossy Stonecrop

Don’t let the widespread title fool you; this generally is a form of sedum and by no means an actual moss! Nonetheless, it’s simple to determine the dense clusters of tiny inexperienced leaves defending a rock and assume you’re having a look at a lush patch of moss. Nonetheless you’ll uncover the succulent inexperienced leaves develop out from transient stems everytime you step nearer.

Relying in your targets and the ambiance, mossy stonecrop’s dense improvement could also be each an expert or a con. The plant’s spreading, horizontal stems shortly fill in bare and rocky flooring with coloration, so it’s a superb risk for empty rock gardens and well-draining yard patches. Nonetheless, this non-native stonecrop can outcompete widespread backyard grasses and transform problematic.

Sedum ‘Ogon’

A stupendous variety of Japanese sedum, ‘Ogon’ choices small rounded leaves alongside transient stems. The leaves keep vibrant yellow all by means of the spring and summer season season, they often change to an outstanding salmon pink when cooler local weather hits.

Although mature ‘Ogon’ vegetation can tolerate affordable to excessive drought, this stonecrop choice may take care of wetter soil larger than differing types of stonecrop. The vegetation nonetheless require well-draining soil, nevertheless they acquired’t ideas if the soil stays moist.

One different benefit of ‘Ogon’ is that it varieties dense patches with out choking out surrounding vegetation. As a result of this truth, you can mix it with differing types of stonecrop and succulents with out worrying about it taking over.

Broadleaf Stonecrop

Native to the West Coast of the USA and Canada, you’ll uncover broadleaf stonecrop rising alongside rock faces and cliffs inside the wild. Since this plant tolerates every full photo voltaic and partial shade, it’s a superb addition to many rock gardens and patios, notably inside the West. Attempt planting it under tall flowering vegetation and grasses since it doesn’t ideas the shade.

Broadleaf stonecrop produces transient stems lined with tiny, rounded, gentle blue-green leaves. The tops of the leaves sort rosettes that resemble miniature wild roses. Whereas these leaves keep inexperienced for lots of the yr, they develop a stupendous pink hue inside the fall.

Sedum ‘Tricolor’

Whereas many types of stonecrop develop two-toned colors as a result of the temperatures drop, ‘Tricolor’ stays multicolored year-round. The small leaves are gentle inexperienced inside the middle and have white and pink edges. In the middle of the autumn, all of the leaf develops a pink hue. For the proper coloration, plant this choice in full photo voltaic.

Although this plant has transient stems, it could nicely develop to sort a dense flooring cowl. As a result of this truth, it actually works successfully for filling in rocky patches in gardens or together with coloration to rock gardens. The vegetation moreover produce pink flowers in the middle of the summer season season.

Although ‘Tricolor’ may look extraordinary, it grows within the similar poor, well-drained soils as differing types of stonecrop. It would moreover tolerate quite a lot of temperatures, so don’t hesitate to plant it must you dwell in a cooler space.

Gray Stonecrop

Many stonecrop varieties produce rosettes of fleshy leaves, nevertheless few rival these of gray stonecrop. These vegetation produce many tiny rosettes that resemble a cute little cabbage patch or cluster of miniature roses. Each leaf has wavy margins, aka edges, creating an way more distinctive look.

Gray stonecrop has underground runners that unfold and create dense flooring covers, so you can use the vegetation to fill empty areas in rock gardens. Nonetheless, the vegetation moreover look gorgeous trailing over stone partitions.  Along with gorgeous leaves, gray stonecrop produces delicate, white, star-shaped flowers.