Sedum, or sedum, does not amaze with its striking beauty, but still it is loved by many gardeners. Various varieties of sedum are successfully used in landscape design: after all, the modest beauty of these plants (this is well conveyed by the photo) will decorate the flower arrangements of the garden. Although this perennial plant is quite unpretentious, it will still require proper care. This article describes in detail all the secrets of planting and growing sedum in open ground.
Sedum: description and varieties
Sedum, or sedum, belongs to the genus of succulents, the Crassulaceae family. Sedum - herbaceous plant, although most types of sedum are perennial, one- and two-year-olds are also found. The sedum has spread all over the planet, choosing to live in places with temperate climate and bright sun, but it is more widespread in the Northern Hemisphere.
Sedum is beautiful with its leaves even when it is not blooming
About 500 varieties of sedum are known, which appearance may be completely different from each other. Most species of sedum are low-growing, creeping and turf-forming; shrubs or subshrubs are less common. Flowers come in a variety of colors: white, yellow, greenish, pink, dark red and even blue.
The most common varieties of sedum used in landscape design:
- Sedum prominent- a bush with tall straight stems (up to 60 cm in height), with light green thick leaves. The prominent sedum blooms in September, and throughout the month its flowers, united in baskets of inflorescences, delight the eye with a beautiful pink hue.
Sedum prominent
- Sedum telefium- a perennial shrub with unusually beautiful dark purple leaves. Flowers of red or bright pink color are collected in spectacular thyroid inflorescences.
Sedum telefium
- Sedum compact- a perennial plant characterized by strong stems with gray-green leaves of an oblong ovoid shape. The flowers of this species are white, with a rich aroma.
Sedum compact
- Sedum false- a perennial plant that is very popular among gardeners, due to the fact that its branches form a beautiful covering that serves to decorate carpet beds.
Sedum false
- Sedum acrid- frost-resistant perennial plant. Thickets of sedum form a turf carpet on the soil that covers the ground all year round– this type of sedum does not lose leaves in the fall. Sedum is caustic different varieties, which vary in shape and size, but they all have flowers of an invariably bright poisonous yellow color.
Sedum acrid
- Sedum reflexum(recurving) - a very unusual plant with thick curved stems dotted with densely arranged, needle-like leaves. The plant resembles many strange hairy caterpillars gathered together. And these cute caterpillars form very picturesque mats of green shades, about 20 cm high.
Sedum reflexum
Planting sedum (sedum) in open ground
Sedum is an unpretentious plant, so growing it in open ground is not too troublesome. For planting most plant varieties, you should choose well-lit areas.
Attention! If you plant a light-loving plant in a shaded place, it will lose its attractiveness, the leaves will lose their healthy freshness and fleshiness, the stems will stretch out and become exhausted, and the plant will not bloom.
Light soil with good drainage, without stagnant moisture, is suitable for sedum. If the garden plot has heavy soil with poor water permeability, then it is necessary to prepare a special place in the open ground for planting sedum.
The first thing a sedum needs is a sufficient amount sunlight
To do this you need:
- prepare the soil: take sand and humus in a ratio of 3:1 and stir well;
- dig a hole in the ground 20 cm deep, the diameter of which should be approximately 50 cm;
- fill the hole with the prepared mixture;
- plant plants;
- Sprinkle the soil around the seedling with fine crushed stone or gravel.
If everything is done correctly, the sedum will grow and bloom well. The best time to plant sedum is from the second ten days of May to mid-October.
Place fine gravel around the sedum
Reproduction of sedum
You can plant sedum using any of three methods of propagation: seeds, cuttings or dividing the bush.
Propagation by seeds
The seed method can be used in two ways. Simply sow the seeds in the soil at the place of “permanent residence”, in previously prepared soil. Best time for sowing seeds: late April - early May.
Advice! The seeds do not need to be planted very deeply in the ground, since the seedlings are very delicate and will not be able to break through a thick ball of earth. It is better to sow them on top of the soil and cover them with a thin layer of sand.
The second method is to plant seedlings in the flower garden. To do this, fill the flower box with a mixture of earth, sand and humus (1:1:2), water lightly, sow the seeds (as mentioned above) and cover with glass or film. When the emerging seedlings have already grown up, they can be transplanted into open ground.
Sedum seeds
Important! You need to know that sedum grown from seed does not bloom in the first summer.
Reproduction by cuttings
To obtain a cutting suitable for planting, any mature sedum stem will do. You need to cut off part of the stem and plant it in a pre-prepared place, deepening it 3 cm into the soil.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Every 5 years, the sedum needs to be replanted to a new location. It's better to do this in the spring. The plant should be dug up, and the overgrown bush should be divided into 3-4 bushes. Fracture areas must be treated with powdered activated carbon. Dry the bushes for a couple of hours in a dark place and you can plant them.
The culture reproduces painlessly by dividing the bush
Care and fertilization
Although sedum is not a capricious plant, it nevertheless needs care. Young shoots definitely need watering as the soil dries out, but it should be remembered that excess moisture is harmful to them. An adult plant, if the summer is not particularly hot, does not need frequent watering. You need to make sure that there are no weeds around the sedum - it does not like such a neighborhood.
Advice! In the fall, after flowering has stopped, the sedum needs to be pruned - all shoots must be removed. This promotes renewal and rejuvenation of the plant. During the dormant period, if necessary, you need to cover the plant so that it does not freeze.
Sedum should be fed with fertilizers twice a season: before flowering and when the plant has finished blooming. For feeding, you can buy special mineral and organic fertilizers. An aqueous solution of manure with nitrogen is especially useful for sedum. But do not overfeed the plant too much - this reduces its resistance negative influences weather conditions.
Do not overwater the plant, otherwise its roots may rot.
Pests and diseases
Although the sedum does not suffer too much from diseases and pests, there are some that pose a danger to it.
Sedum in landscape design and combination with other plants
Sedum is very decorative, and each variety is interesting in its own way. It is used by gardeners in landscape design to create beautiful compositions. But usually it is planted in combination with other plants to decorate flower beds, rockeries or alpine slides.
Sedum in landscape design
As a single plant, sedum is best planted in groups - this way they look very picturesque. For example: ground cover sedums look gorgeous in individual clearings, where they form large lush carpets.
The borders of flower beds and paths lined with “creeping” sedum look very impressive. Sedums planted in pots look quite beautiful - they can decorate a terrace or staircase or be used as a decorative element of landscape design.
Unpretentious sedum: video
Varieties and varieties of sedum: photos
The genus name Sedum comes from the Latin “sedo”, which means “to sit”, implying the small size of the plant.
There is also a version that "sedo" means "to subside", referring to the pain-relieving properties of the plant.
The Russian name of the genus is due to the ability of sedum to cleanse the skin from boils, eczema, warts. Initially, the name was pronounced as “cleaning,” but it was the “sedum” variant that stuck.
This plant received the specific name “caustic” due to the toxicity of the juice, which contains a whole range of alkaloids. If it comes into contact with the skin in its pure form, it can cause ulcers.
For the same reason cattle avoid caustic sedum without eating its bitter, burning shoots. This type of sedum can also be called “Yellow Rose”.
Botanical characteristics and homeland
This is a typical representative of the genus Sedum. The homeland of caustic sedum is the arid foothills of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. It grows naturally in the European part of Russia, Ciscaucasia, Western Siberia, as well as in all Central Russian regions. Prefers dry places on sandy soil, forest edges, wastelands, embankments and rocky slopes.
Appearance
Sedum “Yellow Rose” or sedum caustic is a small, multi-stemmed, herbaceous plant, reaching a height of up to 10 cm, leaves are fleshy, ovoid, yellow flowers with five sepals (bright as lights) and petals are located on spreading inflorescences.
In nature they form clearings. Numerous plants gather in dense low bushes. The rhizome of the sedum is powerful and branched, which allows the plant to obtain maximum moisture.
Is it easy to grow?
Flowering period from late spring to mid-summer. Growing sedum is absolutely not difficult. It is capable of growing in the most unfavorable conditions. The only requirement for him is a sufficient amount of sunlight.
Medicinal properties
- IN medical practice an infusion of plant herbs is used to provide a stimulating and tonic effect on nervous system, stimulation of breathing, increased intestinal motility.
- Has a strong diuretic effect.
- Used to treat hypotension.
Extracts of caustic sedum activate the body's defenses, have an anti-inflammatory and stimulating effect, and accelerate metabolic processes.
Varieties of Sedum acre and their photos
Aureum
The leaves of the plant are small, fleshy, juicy, and elongated-elliptical in shape. From light green to green-yellow color. The golden color of the foliage is especially bright in the spring before flowering. The flowers are bright yellow, collected in thyroid inflorescences at the ends of non-leafy flowering shoots.
Flowering period from May to July. At this time, the flowers completely cover the plant.
In the middle zone in winter it requires dry shelter, in its absence it freezes out in 1-2 years.
Elegance
Belongs to the genus Petrosedum. Forms clearings about 10 cm high. The leaves of the plant can be green, bluish, sometimes purple. Yellow flowers on peduncles 20-30 cm high.
Characteristic features are rapid growth and the need for regular watering.
Minus
The minus forms mats, 5-10 cm high. Small fleshy leaves of a cylindrical shape, acquiring in the bright sun pink color, are located on numerous pinkish-red recumbent stems. The plant is frost-resistant.
Care
| Lighting | A very important factor for sedum. Only with sufficient lighting is it possible for the plant to bloom and retain the bright color of the foliage. If the lighting is insufficient, the sedum may stretch out, losing its decorative effect. If the plant is kept in the house, then it is recommended to regularly wipe the leaves from dust so that it does not delay the flow of light, but if the sedum grows on the site, you need to make sure that dry leaves from the trees do not remain on it. This plant will not be able to break through the decline layer in the spring. |
| Temperature | Strict compliance temperature regime sedum does not require, it is comfortable in both warm and cool conditions. Optimal temperature from 8 to 26 degrees in summer. With proper care, it can withstand more high temperatures. Winter is a dormant period for sedum. At this time, the required temperature for its maintenance is 8-10 degrees. If the room is too warm, the shoots will stretch and become deformed. |
| Location | It is best to place sedum at home on the windowsills of southern windows, remembering the extreme light-loving nature of this plant. But if it is direct sunlight with a tightly closed window, the plant will simply wither. Best in summer months move the sedum outdoors; if this is not possible, then it is necessary to ensure a flow of fresh air into the room. |
| Watering | Sedum is a succulent, so excessive watering is contraindicated for it. Waterlogged soil is a direct path to plant death, especially in winter. In spring and summer, watering is carried out as the top layer of the substrate dries. In winter, sedum is watered once every four weeks. The plant does not need spraying; you can only wipe the leaves to remove dust. |
| Air humidity | There is no need to take special measures to humidify the air for sedum. Due to the characteristics of its natural growth, it tolerates dry air well. |
| Top dressing | It is recommended to feed sedum only in spring and summer. Fertilizers for cacti. There is no need to introduce fertilizers in the autumn-winter period. |
| The soil | For sedum, special soil for cacti from a flower shop is suitable, but you can prepare the substrate yourself by mixing turf and leaf soil, brick chips and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:2. You can add a little charcoal. Good drainage is also important for the plant. |
| Trimming | After flowering ends, the sedum’s flower stalks need to be cut off so that the plant does not become depleted. |
Reproduction
By cuttings
The vegetative method is very popular for sedum. It is best to carry out cuttings in July; the time remaining until autumn is just enough for the cuttings to take root and become stronger.
Before planting the cuttings, they should be dried in a cool place.. After planting, watering is kept to a minimum in order to compact the soil between the plants. Also, young plants need shading; unlike adults, they are not yet able to withstand exposure to bright sunlight.
Seeds
Propagation of sedum by seeds is possible, but this is not the most popular method due to its problematic nature. At home, seeds are sown in the spring; seeds are planted in open ground before winter. If spring propagation is planned, the seeds must undergo a stratification procedure, that is, they need to artificially create winter conditions.
Step-by-step propagation of sedum by seeds is as follows:
- Seeds are sown on the soil in a small container.
- The earth is moistened.
- The container with the crops needs to be covered with glass or film, you can simply put it in a bag and tie it.
- Place the container on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. It is important to keep the temperature within 5-7 degrees.
- In such conditions, the seeds are kept for two weeks. At this time, every day you need to remove the film and ventilate the crops, as well as spray the soil.
- After the end of the artificial winter period, the container with seeds is moved to room conditions. If you maintain a temperature of 18-20 degrees, seedlings will appear in two to four weeks.
- The emerging seedlings are very miniature and it is important to track the appearance of the first two leaves. At this time, you need to pick.
- If you plan to place the resulting planting material in open ground, then it is better to manipulate the seeds in March, so that in May you can plant sedum in the open air.
Dividing the bush
This method of propagation requires the presence of an adult plant, at least 4 years old.
- The bush is divided into several parts, each of which must have roots and buds from which new shoots will grow.
- The cut areas are treated with a fungicide.
- The parts of the plant are dried for several hours in a cool, dark place, then the sedum is planted in the ground.
Landing
This plant does not have any special requirements for soil., a ready-made substrate for succulents is quite suitable. When planting sedum in pots, the sequence of work is as follows:
- Seed material is purchased at a specialized store, the seeds are soaked in a root formation stimulator.
- Small pots, approximately 0.2 l. fill with substrate and moisten it.
- The treated seeds are dried and sown in pots. The peculiarity of sedum seeds is their very small size, therefore, due to the impossibility of individual sowing, it is recommended to place the seeds closer to the edge of the pot so that during subsequent picking they do not damage neighboring seedlings.
- The crops are covered with film and placed in a room with room temperature. The crops are regularly ventilated and sprayed with a spray bottle.
- The emerging seedlings are treated with a growth stimulator.
- When two full leaves appear, the plant is planted in pots with a diameter of 8-10 cm.
- Further care consists of loosening the soil and watering.
If you plan to plant sedum in open ground in the future, the plant must be hardened off by taking it out into the fresh air.
Possible difficulties
- Slow growth.
Usually characteristic of the period after transplantation. The fact is that at this time the sedum is actively growing its root system or gaining strength for flowering, while the growth of the above-ground mass stops.
- Pests attack flowers.
For the most part, pests are not dangerous for caustic sedum, due to the toxicity of the juice of its leaves, but attacks on flowers do occur. The control method is simple - you need to mechanically remove the damaged parts of the plant.
Caustic sedum is a worthy alternative to flowering ground covers that require careful care. Unpretentious and highly decorative, it successfully wins the sympathy of gardeners every year.
We invite you to watch a video about caustic sedum:
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Growing sedum (sedum) helps to create a unique landscape of a park, garden and decorate the local area. Perennial, ornamental plants are spread over the surface of the site in a multi-colored carpet.
Is it difficult to cultivate sedums, are there poisonous varieties among them, and what kind of care is required?
Sedum is a succulent plant from the Crassulaceae family. It grows wild in American, Eurasian and North African natural landscapes.
The name sedum comes from the Latin - to pacify, calm, and also sit; in Ukrainian – ochistok (to cleanse).
Sedums are known by other names:
- Hare grass (cabbage);
- Skripun;
- Youthful;
- Crassula;
- Fever Grass;
- Sedum;
- Hernia grass;
- Living grass.
Description
Sedums vary in type: ground cover (10-30 centimeters), tall bushy (up to 80 centimeters). The leaves of the grass are round, fleshy, without veins.
The thickened stems of the Crassula contain leaves and end in an inflorescence at the top. The tuberous shoots are rooted firmly in the soil.
Over time, sedums conquer new areas of the site, forming a continuous cover. Bush forms are also capable of growing.
There are poisonous varieties of sedums; some release toxic substances into the air, adversely affecting surrounding plants.
Types of sedums - what are they?
The diversity is great, with hundreds of tropical and cold-hardy species known. The most decorative of them are grown culturally, separated into separate genera (Ochitnik, Zhivuchnik, Petrosedum) and varieties.
Ground cover
These are creeping species that cover the soil, ranging in height from a few to 30 centimeters. Bushes spread on the ground create the illusion of dense coverage, making them seem stunted.
Used to decorate alpine slides, rockeries, borders, roofs and walls. Planted in containers (including hanging ones).
Purple flowers of varying intensity, 0.5 centimeters in diameter, are strewn with gray, bluish leaves. There are red spots on the leaves. The length of the stems is 8-10 centimeters. The varieties are frost-resistant, demanding of light, moisture and soil looseness. Flowering: August-September. Examples of varieties: Rosenteppich and Rose Carpet.
Creeping stems, up to 25 centimeters long. Blooms with colorful flowers in October. It is grown in containers, on alpine hills, and rockeries. Used to create topiary. Dragon, Mediovariegatum are the most common varieties.
The easily rooted stems spread out and reach a length of 15-20 centimeters. The flowers are 0.7 centimeters in diameter, of varying intensities of pink and red, appear in July-August. The bluish-gray leaves are decorative. It is demanding on the composition of the soil (does not like alkalization), needs constant weeding and light watering.
Variegatum variety is widespread. The shoots do not completely lodge, the rhizome becomes woody. Stems 15-25 centimeters long have yellow flowers with stamens during the flowering period (July-September), then scarlet fruits appear. Likes watering and partial shade.
The mat is 10 centimeters thick and has flower stalks up to 30 centimeters high. The leaves are green, bluish, then turn red. Flowers yellow, pink. It grows quickly and takes over areas. Beautiful in containers. Watering is regular. Purpureum, Elegance are famous varieties.
Beautiful, very decorative. Bushes up to 5 centimeters high, flower stem 10 centimeters. Green leaves turn red in the sun, flowers are yellow and pink. This is a winter-hardy variety, unpretentious to the soil, and does not like excessive watering. They use it to green roofs, plant them in rock gardens, and decorate topiaries.
Loves sun, light and partial shade, blooms in July-August. The plant is 15 centimeters tall and forms covers on the soil. They decorate flower beds, mixborders, and spacious containers. The leaves are green, becoming bronze and red in autumn. Flowers in different shades of pink, burgundy, red and white. Only some varieties: Elizabeth, Tricolor, Album, Leningrad White and others.
The coating is dense, continuous, height 5-10 centimeters, poisonous. green leaves, yellow flowers. Flowering June-July. Undemanding to living conditions. Tolerates winter and drought well. It is easy to weed out and grows very quickly. Sedum caustic is a melliferous plant, interesting varieties are Minus and Elegance.
Bushes up to 40 centimeters, bluish-green leaves with pink inflorescences. Grows quickly, winter-hardy, unpretentious. Suitable for growing in rock gardens and rock gardens.
Rare variety. Cover 4-5 centimeters. Green leaves turn red in the sun, creeping shoots have white flowers. Does not like drought, grows in partial shade. This evergreen plant will decorate borders and rockeries.
Shrubs
This is a tall type of sedum. This type of sedum is unpretentious to grow: it grows on soil poor in humus, in rocky areas. High grades sedums need more watering than creeping ones, because they root system not covered with a continuous carpet of vegetation.
They bloom from summer to autumn, in one place for many years, and are more popular among gardeners than their low-growing counterparts.
Forms a bush of 40-70 centimeters. The leaves are green, may be purple with a bluish tint. Flowers range from white, white-pink, to deep purple. Blooms in August, until October, requires moderate watering. It produces aerial shoots that are removed. This variety is grown in spacious containers, mixborders, and single flower beds. Varieties - Iceberg, Carmen, Crystal Pink, Stephen Ward.
The bush is tall, up to 80 centimeters with pink or purple flowers. The leaves are green, oval. July and August are the flowering months. Hare cabbage is grown in mixborder groups and is suitable for growing in a container. Bon-Bon, Red Globe, Trafle are varieties of sedum.
The shrub reaches a height of 50 centimeters. Blooms all summer. Loves shade, prefers poor soils, unpretentious appearance. Watering is moderate and regular.
This sedum grows up to 60 centimeters in height. The leaves are greenish-gray. Flowers of different colors: white, pinkish, pink. Late flowering in September-October. Prefers sunny places along with partial shade. Watering is moderate.
How to care
Sedums are undemanding to growing conditions and grow easily, turning the designated area into a green meadow. Prefers soils that are loose, fertile, sandy loam, and acidic.
Grows better in light areas, does not bloom in the shade. Accumulates moisture and does not tolerate drought.
Planting in open ground, watering and weeding
Seedlings are planted at the end of May and June, after returning frosts (all summer). It is good to add ash and sand to the soil. Choose an open area, not under trees. Holes are dug at a distance of 20 centimeters. The sedum will bloom in a year or two.
Sedums require periodic watering and weeding; they are suppressed by proximity to weeds.
Top dressing
Feed with diluted mullein or complex fertilizer. Do not use fresh manure.
Trimming
Bushes are formed from varietal sedums: on multi-colored varieties, green shoots are removed so that the species does not degenerate. Overgrown stems and dry inflorescences are also cut off, making the planting compact.
Sedum in winter
In regions where there is a lot of snow, sedum is not covered for the winter. Preparation for wintering includes pruning almost all shoots. The remaining stems are sprinkled with earth. Trimmed shoots can be rooted, stored at home and planted in the soil in the spring.
Transplantation and rejuvenation
Sedum thickets are aging and need replanting and rejuvenation. In spring or autumn, old branches are removed, young plantings are divided into parts and transplanted to another place. It is enough to carry out this procedure once every 3-4 years.
How does sedum reproduce?
Reproduction is carried out in several ways: seedlings from seeds, cuttings and dividing bushes.
Seedlings from seeds
In April, you can sow sedum seeds in seedling containers. The seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil (earth and sand), sprinkled with coarse sand and, after moistening, covered with glass or film.
Seedlings are grown in a cool place. From time to time, ventilate and spray the seedlings with a spray bottle. After 2 weeks, the containers are moved to a warmer place. Shoots appear within a month. After two leaves appear, they dive.
Before planting outside, they are hardened for a week, taking them out for a certain time.
Propagation by cuttings
Before and after flowering, the sedum can be taken from cuttings and planted. This is a simple procedure, despite the fact that sedums take root well. Cut off part of the stem, deepen it into the soil or place it in water (until roots appear). When roots appear, they are planted in a permanent place.
Dividing the bush
Produced in the spring by digging up and dividing the roots. Each part must be checked for buds. Treat the cut with a fungicide and let it dry. After a couple of hours they are seated.
Pests and diseases
Rarely affected by disease, it can rot from high humidity. The diseased areas are cut off and the remaining shoots are disinfected. Pests that sometimes attack sedum are aphids, weevils and thrips (they are controlled by using insecticides).
The variety of types and varieties of sedum will leave few people indifferent. The amazing vitality, brightness and beauty of this flower makes it so popular among gardeners around the world. And its unpretentiousness in soil and watering allows even a novice gardener to grow this plant on his own plot.
Common sedum ( Sedum telephium) or squeaky grass
Perennial, grows up to 50-60 cm. Tolerates winter well and is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Eurasia - from Europe to Far East, China, Japan.
Common sedum
Purple sedum ( Sedum purpureum)
This type of sedum is a variety of common sedum. The leaves of this flower are considered medicinal, along with aloe. This is a tall (up to one meter) erect plant, with oblong leaves ranging in color from green to red-brown.
Sedum purple Sedum prominent ( Sedum spectabile)
Its other name is wonderful sedum. The plant is used for planting in open ground, it is perennial and can withstand frost well. The leaves are oval-shaped, flat, the stem itself can reach up to half a meter in height. The plant blooms in late summer and until late autumn. There are many varieties of this species, with flowers ranging from red and hot pink to white and cream.
Popular varieties of prominent sedum:
- Sedum matron - this variety has stems and leaves of a reddish-brown hue, and pink flowers.
- Diamond Edge - a distinctive feature of this variety are decorative leaves that are pink-green in color with a light border along the edge of the leaf.
- The varieties Frosty Morning and Diamond Border have variegated decorative leaves.
- Neon is a tall plant with bright pink flowers of rich color.
Sedum prominent Sedum acre
This is a creeping plant, low, with a thin root and thin small leaves covering the stem. The flowers are yellow and fragrant. This type of sedum is considered a good honey flower, but it has poisonous leaves. It can grow on rocky soil and is perfect for decorating a variety of alpine slides or rockeries.
Caustic sedum Sedum evers ( Sedum ewersii)
Low ornamental plant. It grows as a small bush, the stems spread along the ground. The leaves are small, thin, round or heart-shaped. The stems can reach 30 cm; by the end of summer they become coarser. in winter and in early spring they look like dried, lifeless twigs, but there is no need to trim them - they will come to life and new leaves will appear on them. This plant blooms in August-September with pink flowers.
Sedum eversa Kamchatka sedum ( Sedum kamtschaticum)
This is a low herbaceous plant - up to 25-30 cm, the stems are thin, the leaves are small, oblong with teeth. Some varieties have a light edging along the edge of the leaf. It blooms in early summer with small yellow flowers.
Kamchatka sedum
White sedum ( Sedum album)
The plant is so named because of the fragrant white flowers that bloom in early summer and bloom until almost August. The plant itself is not tall - about 15 cm. The leaves are small, beautifully egg-shaped. Leaves can change their color from green to red. This usually happens in summer in bright sunshine and in autumn during frosts.
White sedum Sedum reflexus ( Sedum reflexum) or rock sedum
This type is good for decorating garden paths and creating mixborders. This low-growing sedum grows well, forming a real green carpet. It has unusual look, resembling diverging waves. The leaves are small, thin, similar to spruce needles or unusual moss. This type of sedum can also be used in indoor floriculture, planting the flower in wide pots. This plant blooms in summer for almost a whole month.
Another advantage of this species is its edible leaves. They have a sour, slightly astringent taste and can be used as a seasoning for salads and soups.
Popular varieties of sedum reflexum:
- Sedum Christatum is an unusual plant with green leaves, similar to a cockscomb or sea sponge.
- Sedum Angelina is a variety with yellow leaves that darken and turn orange in the fall.
- Sedum Glaucum - the color of the leaves of this variety is yellow-green, long shoots lying on the ground can reach 15 cm.
Sedum reflexum False sedum ( Sedum spurium)
In the West, this sedum is called Caucasian, since its homeland is the Caucasus. This plant is creeping, about 10 cm high, and can form a real carpet. It has thin, spade-shaped leaves located opposite each other. Used in Scandinavian countries for green roofs.
False sedum Sedum Spanish ( Sedum hispanicum L.)
A dwarf type of creeping sedum, its height rarely reaches 15 cm. The leaves are very small, shaped like needles. In the sun they can turn pinkish-red. Tolerates shade well. It grows on rocky, poor soil, in rock crevices, sometimes even in asphalt. It can reproduce by self-sowing, in some cases it acts as a weed, suppressing other ground cover crops. Therefore, it is better to plant it among taller plants.
Sedum Spanish
Hybrid sedum ( Sedum hibridum L.)
A creeping, low-growing plant with branching stems. The leaves are flat, spade-shaped, with teeth.
Hybrid sedum Lydian Sedum ( Sedum lydium)
Same small view sedum, grows in small (up to 5-8 cm in height) caps. The stem is dotted with small, slightly elongated leaves, rounded at the end. Large plants can “crush” this tiny sedum. Use it to frame other small ornamental plants. For example, planting together with a stone rose.
Lydian sedum Planting and care in open ground
Sedums are very low maintenance, but knowing what they like and how to care for them will reduce the risk of your plant getting sick or dying. With a little patience and care, your sedum will certainly delight you not only with lush, juicy greenery, but also with beautiful flowers.
Place for planting sedum
- To plant sedum, choose a dry place. Avoid lowlands and places on the site where water may stagnate during the rainy season.
- The soil for garden sedum can be anything. Sedums thrive in poor soil, slightly enriched with peat or compost.
- Sedum is a sun-loving plant; you should not plant it in the shade of a house or fence.
- Keep an eye on the growth of sedum groundcovers, as some species are considered weeds and may interfere with the growth of other flowers in your flower bed.
How to propagate garden sedum
Sedum propagation is also quite simple, without causing any particular difficulties for gardeners. The main methods of propagating garden sedum:
- seeds
- root division
- using cuttings
Seeds can be sown directly in open ground. Sedum seeds need to be sown before winter. Small plants will emerge in the spring.
Sedum can be grown from seeds by sowing seedlings:
- The best time for sowing sedums is March, April.
- Sow the seeds in a pot of soil, moisten the soil with a spray bottle.
- Cover the pot with film and put it in a cool place for 2 weeks. The temperature should be about 5-7˚. The bottom shelf of the refrigerator is ideal for seed stratification.
- Seeds need to be regularly ventilated, remove excess moisture formed on the film and, if necessary, moisten the soil.
- After two weeks, place the pot with the seeds in a warm, sunny place.
- In one and a half to two weeks, shoots should appear.
- Plants can be transplanted when they have two leaves.
- You can transplant grown sedums into open ground at the end of May.
Cuttings are carried out in spring or autumn, after the plant has flowered.. For low-growing sedums, you need to cut off the top shoot, about 5-7 cm long, remove the lower leaves and dig into the ground. It is necessary that at least one node (the place where the leaf is attached to the stem) is in the ground.
Tall growing sedums are best propagate by dividing an adult bush. The bush is divided either in autumn, before winter, or in early spring:
- Dig up the plant with its roots, clean the root from the soil.
- Divide the root into the amount you need; each fragment should contain both buds and roots.
- Soak the cut roots for 10-15 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Dry them in the sun for several hours.
- Dig holes and plant flowers.
Care
- Sedum does not tolerate excessively wet soil. It only needs to be watered for the first time after replanting or in extreme heat in the summer.
- Sedum does not require fertilizing either. It is believed that excess nutrients will prevent the sedum from overwintering well.
- Cut off the dried inflorescences of sedums to preserve the beauty of the plants.
- Once every three years, plant sedums: divide the bushes, remove old shoots. This will stimulate the growth of young branches and stems.
Temperature
- Sedum will tolerate hot summers calmly. If the summer is dry, you can water the flower in the evening.
- Sedum winters well, but if severe frosts are expected with little snow, the plant must be covered.
- Sedum is more afraid of frost than wet and humid winters, as well as spring flooding.
Pests and diseases of garden sedum
Most often, garden sedum suffers from aphids, weevils and sawfly caterpillars. You can help the plant with the help of special pest control products.
Another common disease is a fungus that attacks the stems and leaves of the plant. It occurs due to excessive dampness. The best way fight the fungus - cut off the affected branches and leaves.
Photo examples of creating flower beds and sedum gardens in landscape design
Sedums are actively used in landscape design to create beautiful compositions in flower beds, rockeries, and slides. When forming mixborders, multi-level sedums are suitable. Creeping types of sedums will help decorate the edges along the paths on your site.
Gardeners know sedum (sedum) as an excellent ground cover plant, serving as an excellent background for tall tapeworms, shading bright groups in mixborders and rock gardens. Indoor gardeners prefer succulent varieties of sedum, which complement cactus compositions. How to grow sedum at home, and how to propagate this plant?
Sedum (Sedum) belongs to the Crassulaceae family. It grows naturally in North America, Europe and East Asia.
These are perennial, rarely one- or two-year-old herbaceous, rhizomatous plants with semi-lignified erect or creeping stems.
The Sedum genus is the most extensive (about 600 species) in the Crassulaceae family. Its representatives are distributed mainly in temperate and cold zones of the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in Europe, the Mediterranean, Siberia and Central Asia, as well as in China and Japan.
A large number of sedum species are concentrated in the arid regions of Mexico and the southern United States. Several of them, including sedum (Rhodiola rosea), or golden root (Sedumrosea), are very widespread and grow even on Novaya Zemlya, Greenland, and Alaska.
Sedum or sedum plant: description and photo at flowering time
Succulent sedums are annual and perennial herbaceous plants. Stems up to 20 cm long. Leaves are round or cylindrical, with a bluish, sometimes reddish tint. The flowers of sedums are small, white, pale pink, red, depending on the type, collected in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence. Sepals, petals and carpels are free or weakly fused at the base. The sepals of many species are of unequal length. There are 2 times more stamens than petals. Many species are very decorative.
Some types of sedums look good in hanging baskets and flower pots. Blooms profusely throughout the year. There are types of sedums that form clumps.
sedum (sedum) It is readily used by gardeners as a background ground cover plant. Different kinds sedums go well together. Sedum is compatible with hostas, mountain pine, juniper, purple-leaved black cohosh, cornflower, platycodon, alyssum, and sanvitalia.
The sedum plant looks especially good as part of flower arrangements and when making rocky hills. The undoubted advantage of this succulent is that it is easy to grow and easy to care for. These plants quickly captivate children, so they are often used in landscaping kindergartens and schools.
In sunny, dry, sandy or rocky elevated places, a small plant grows, only 5-10 centimeters in height. Round, light green leaves tapering to the base cover the stem. If you cut a juicy, fleshy leaf, then slimy juice is drawn out of it in threads. This plant belongs to the Crassulaceae family. Plants belonging to this family - hare cabbage, young and tenacious - have leaves that are also fleshy and thick. Scientific name family - Crassulaceae - from the word “crassus” - “fat”, “thick”.
Miniature, graceful plant blooms in June - August with yellow stars collected in inflorescences. The golden star flower consists of 5 pointed petals, a five-part calyx, 5 pistils and 10 stamens.
These photos show sedum at flowering time:
This plant is called caustic sedum, or Sedum acre, from the words: “sedere” - “sit” and “acre” - “sharp”, “bitter”. The first name was given to the plant for its short growth, the second - for the pungent taste of the leaves. Sedum is very tenacious. Dried and squeezed between the leaves of the herbarium, it remains alive for several years (if you do not first kill it in boiling water) and, once in natural conditions, can grow again.
Sedum is a perennial plant: Some of its shoots live for 2 years. The first year only leaves form on them; in the second year the shoots bloom. Sedum stores water in its leaves and evaporates very little of it.
Look at the photo - the leaves of the sedum plant are covered with a thick skin that has a small number of stomata:
The stem pressed to the ground is not blown by the wind.
When writing about sedum, it is worth noting that this plant can withstand both the scorching rays of the sun and the lack of water in the soil. But in the fall, star fruits open only in rainy weather. Small sedum seeds are washed away by rain and carried away by streams of water. Water carries seeds into cracks between stones or, seeping through sand, leaves them on the surface.
Sedum is a honey plant, but animals do not eat its succulent leaves: their juice is bitter, like pepper.
Sedum - ancient folk medicinal plant, former for a long time forgotten, but now again arousing the interest of scientists. In 1939, the crystalline substance “sedamin” was isolated from sedum, stimulating breathing, intestinal movement and promoting muscle contraction.
Sedum deserves special description as a medicinal plant; it has a variety of uses for medicinal purposes. Fresh leaves are used as a laxative, and in larger quantities - as an emetic. A decoction of flowers was previously used for “falling sickness” (epilepsy) and as an antiscorbutic medicine. The juice of the leaves was used to remove calluses and treat abscesses and skin diseases. Sedum root is included in ointments and tinctures against scrofula. Sedum juice is also used when washing clothes, instead of soap, when cleaning and washing kitchen utensils and bottles.
The most valuable thing about sedum is its antimalarial properties. Sedum can replace cinchona.
The sedum is collected during flowering, without roots, and dried. One and a half grams of dry sedum, brewed as tea, is enough to stop an attack of malaria within three days. This medicine should be used in certain doses as directed by your doctor, since sedum has different properties in different quantities.
Common sedum (hare cabbage) and other varieties
In this section of the article you can familiarize yourself with photos, names and descriptions of the types of sedums that are most common in plant growing.
Common sedum, or hare cabbage. It is found in many regions of the European part of Russia, Western and Eastern Siberia, and the Far East. Grows on sandy soils, in pine forests, among bushes, in floodplains, in meadows and forest clearings.
Sedum hare cabbage is a perennial herbaceous plant up to 60 cm high. The roots are tuberous, spherical-thickened. Stems are single or several, light green, often curved at the base. The leaves are opposite, oval, fleshy with a bluish bloom. The flowers are pink or pale yellow, collected in dense corymbose or loose paniculate inflorescences. Blooms in July – October. The seeds ripen in September – October.
Several subspecies are found in nature, varieties have been bred that differ in the color of flowers (greenish or yellowish-white), stems (green, red, purple and others), leaves (green, gray-green, bluish-green, reddish and others).
Morgana sedum (S. toganianum). Most suitable for indoor conditions.
House sedum is a succulent plant belonging to the Crassulaceae family. IN wildlife grows in Mexico.
As you can see in the photo, this indoor sedum has long shoots of light green color, which reach a length of about 50 cm:
Its stems are densely studded with fleshy subulate-shaped leaves growing downward, which allows it to be used as an hanging plant for a south window. Numerous leaves of a round, slightly elongated shape look like wax. They are arranged on the stem in a spiral, forming a kind of weaving. This type of indoor sedum has a bluish color, which is caused by a bluish waxy coating on the leaves. Sedum Morgana blooms with small pinkish flowers that form an umbrella inflorescence.
White sedum (Sedum Album L.). It got its name from its fragrant white flowers.
With application in folk medicine There are many popular names associated with it - God's flower, living grass, soapwort, six-week-old. Grows on rocky soils, rocky slopes, and in the mid-mountain zone. It is found in the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus.
Perennial, evergreen, glabrous herbaceous plant, forming vegetative state low mats up to 20 cm high. The bases of the stems spread along the ground and are equipped with thin adventitious roots. Vegetative branches are short, with crowded thickish oval or elliptical small blunt leaves up to 1 cm long.
Pay attention to the photo - the sedum (sedum) of this species has straight, vertical, slightly reddened flowering shoots with thick leaves up to 1.5 cm long, thicker in the middle part of the peduncle:
The flowers are white, collected in few-flowered umbels with curls, forming paniculate inflorescences. It blooms in June–July, bears fruit in August–September.
Varieties and forms differ in height (from 1 cm to 20 cm) and leaf color (green, red, orange-red, pink and others).
Hybrid sedum (Sedum hybridum L.). Grows on rocky slopes, rocks, sandy and pebbly coastal cliffs, and mountain steppes. It is found in the Urals, the south of Western Siberia, and Eastern Siberia.
A perennial herbaceous plant that forms low mats 8-15 cm high. The rhizomes are horizontal, slightly woody, cord-like, located shallowly underground. The stems are numerous, branching, erect, 10–30 cm tall, green, a few of them are flowering, the rest are vegetative. The leaves are alternate, green, flat, spatulate, wedge-shaped at the base, obtuse at the top, coarsely toothed. The apical inflorescence is umbrella-shaped, consisting of several curls. The flowers are yellow. Blooms in July-August, bears fruit in August-September.
What other types of sedums are there: photos and names
Caustic sedum (Sedum Acre L.). Sedum juice can cause ulcers on the skin, which is why it got its name.
For its benefits in almost all skin diseases, relieving pain and alleviating the condition of cancer, being wary of its caustic, bitter healing juice, residents of many regions of Russia called it by many affectionate and sometimes mysterious names: wild pepper, fever herb, pimple, blush, guillemot, jellied and others.
Grows on dry sandy, rocky, lightly turfed soils, rocks, open hillsides, coastal sands, dry meadows, and light forests. It is found in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, and Western Siberia.
A perennial evergreen herbaceous plant up to 10 cm high, forming groundcover sods up to 20 cm in diameter. Stems are branched, rounded. The leaves are fleshy, dark green, arranged in alternate order, glabrous, oblong, up to 0.6 cm long.
Look at the photo - this type of sedum has golden-yellow flowers, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, collected in semi-umbrella-shaped inflorescences:
The fruit is a capsule with small seeds. Blooms profusely in early June - July. The fruits ripen in August – September.
Garden forms with yellow foliage and smaller sizes are known.
False sedum (Sedum Spurium Bieb.). Grows on rocky and gravelly slopes, subalpine meadows in the upper and middle mountain zones. Found in the Caucasus.
A perennial herbaceous evergreen plant with creeping, long rhizomes. Stems creeping or erect, sterile, shorter than flowering ones, 3–6 cm long, with more crowded leaves; flowering stems up to 20 cm long, thin-fluffy or rough, with traces of fallen leaves. The leaves are fleshy, dark green, opposite, ovate-wedge-shaped, finely fluffy, ciliated along the edge. The flowers are pink or purple, forming a corymbose, dense inflorescence. The fruits are straight, reddish, oblong-ovate leaflets. Blooms in July–August, bears fruit in August–October.
Many varieties have been developed with various colors of flowers (white, hot pink, purple and others) and leaves (green, brownish-purple, bronzed, dark red, variegated and others).
Succulents are no less popular:
Adolf's sedum (S. adolphii)
Beautiful sedum (S. bellum)
Sedum of Sibolt (5. sieboldii)
Sedum Palmer (S. palmeri)
Sedum Trelis (S. treleasei)
Siebold sedum (Sedum Sieboldii Sweet.). Crassulaceae family. From Japan. Perennial leafy succulent. Its thickened roots give rise to numerous hanging stems 15-20 cm long. The leaves sit opposite, attached around the stem by whorls - 3 leaves together, almost round, with a bluish tint and reddish edges, the whorls are located along the stem at an equal distance. The flowers are small, pale pink, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Appear in August-September, flowering is abundant. In late autumn, the plant loses its stems, and a rest period begins until February. In February it awakens again and repeats the same development cycle as in previous years.
Sedum is propagated by cuttings and dividing the rhizome. Cuttings take root easily and quickly; they are planted in small (12 cm) pots of 15-20 pieces. You need leafy, turf soil and sand (2:2:1). Divided rhizomes after 2-2.5 months produce many hanging stems that cover the walls of the pot. The location is sunny, watering is moderate. In winter, during the rest period, they are kept in a cool room without watering.
Sedum, or Siebold's sedum, is a well-known, but little common foliage and ornamental plant. In culture it is used as a hanging flower - in hanging vases, baskets, on stands, etc.
Weinberg sedum (Sedum Weinbergii Rose.). Family Crassulacea. Homeland - Mexico.
An evergreen succulent plant with a thick stem. The flat, ovate-lanceolate leaves are sparsely spaced along the stem, gathered at the ends into a loose rosette and ending in a short, blunt tip. Their color is light gray with a lilac tint and a bluish tinge. It does not bloom in our conditions. It stands out among other sedums for its decorative effect. Propagates easily. Suitable for amps.
The sedum is beautiful. Small plants about 7.5-15 cm tall with leaves folded like buds.
Over time, they bend back and become spatulate. Small star-shaped flowers form in the spring.
Thick-leaved sedum. An erect plant with blue-green cylindrical leaves 2.5 cm long, slightly turned upward, with red tips. Yellow flowers may appear in the spring.
Red-colored sedum. Similar to the previous species, but most of the leaf is colored red, especially in strong sunlight.
Growing and caring for indoor sedum (with photo)
Accommodation. Heat-loving species are grown in the rooms. Sedum requires intense sunlight and good ventilation. It is planted on the site in open sunny places, as it is extremely light-loving and tolerates only slight shading; The color of the leaves of many species in the sun is brighter and more juicy, some even acquire a characteristic blush or tan. In low light conditions, growing is difficult, since the sedum stops blooming and becomes very elongated, losing its appearance so that it is impossible to recognize it. Sedums should be placed so that they are not covered by tree foliage in the fall.
Temperature. In summer and spring, the air temperature when growing sedum should not be lower than 17-19 °C. In winter, during the dormant period, sedum must be kept in a cool room with an air temperature of about 10 ° C. In summer, the plant can be kept on the balcony.
Sedum tolerates dry room air well.
Substrate. Sedum is unpretentious to soils. Any sandy, loose and nutritious soil mixture is suitable for cultivation, preferably with the addition of brick chips and pieces of charcoal. When caring for homemade sedum, you can use a mixture of leaf and turf soil with sand (2: 1: 1) or a ready-made specialized soil mixture for succulents.
Creeping species are grown on well-drained, any cultivated soil - regular, medium-heavy, loam, as they are very unpretentious. Mineral fertilizers should not be applied. When cared for at home, sedum responds well to fertilizing, especially nitrogen fertilizers or manure, carried out in early spring. The bowl should be wide.
The sedum flower, like any representative of succulent plants, is unpretentious in care and does not require much trouble.
Care consists of regular (once every 3–6 years) division or cutting to maintain even carpets, removing old shoots and adding fresh substrate. Long bare stems of sedums such as false sedum can be covered with leaf humus at the beginning or end of the season. Frequent and very thorough weeding is necessary, since sedums are completely uncompetitive with respect to weeds.
Watering. When caring for sedum at home, moderate care is required in summer and limited in winter. It does not tolerate overly moist soil, so in spring and summer it is enough to water it twice a week. In winter, watering should be reduced or stopped altogether. Periodically you need to remove dust from the leaves by wiping them with a damp cloth.
Lighting. With a lack of light, the plant becomes very elongated, its leaves fall off, and it loses its attractiveness.
Fertilizer. During the growth period (April - August), the plant should be fed with complete mineral fertilizer.
Transfer. If necessary in the spring. Typically, young sedums are replanted once every 2 years, and then every 3–4 years. Frequent replanting when growing sedums is not necessary; the plants tolerate crowded conditions well. Replanting sedums (especially Morgana) must be done very carefully - the plants are easily damaged. Pots for planting and replanting should be shallow but wide, since the root system is underdeveloped. Good drainage is necessary.
Sedum is an original decoration for a modern interior.
A well-developed healthy plant forms a cascade of leaves, reminiscent of a large bunch of grapes.
Pests and diseases. If sedum (sedum) is not properly cared for, stagnation of moisture often leads to rotting of the roots. The main pests of the plant are scale insects and whiteflies.
For many sedums, during insufficient care during cultivation, leaves fall off during minor mechanical stress. This property, developed in arid climates, is used for vegetative propagation.
If the stem indoor flower If the sedum becomes bare, it can be rejuvenated by cutting off the top of the stem or rosette and rooting it.
How to grow sedum from seeds and cuttings
The plant can be propagated by stem cuttings, layering, seeds, and mature leaves. When propagated by seed, the first shoots appear in 10–15 days, cuttings take root in 15–20 days.
It must be said that the leaves of sedum are quite fragile and, breaking off from the stem, quickly take root.
When sedum propagates, the rhizomes separate after 2 months and produce many hanging stems that cover the walls of the pot.
Sowing of seeds is carried out in spring or autumn in bowls or boxes, which are covered with film. The seedlings are very small. When 1–2 true leaves appear, they are picked into pots. Young plants bloom in the 2nd–3rd year.
Many gardeners do not bury the seeds; they place them superficially in the spring or before winter, in bowls or boxes that are dug into a garden bed or placed in a greenhouse. The seedlings are very small. When 1–2 true leaves appear, they are planted in boxes or on beds. Young plants bloom in 2–3 years. Four- to five-year-old bushes are divided at the end of summer or spring into divisions with 2–3 buds, a piece of rhizome and roots.
The fastest, easiest and reliable way propagation - cuttings. It is especially often used for the propagation of creeping sedums, since their shoots form aerial roots, which, in contact with the soil, quickly take root. Anything, even the smallest pieces of shoots that fall onto the bed during division and transplantation, can take root.
Spring at home houseplants Sedums are propagated by leaf cuttings. They are first dried for several days and planted in clean, water-washed sand. Stem cuttings must be immediately planted in pots with medium-heavy, water- and breathable soil.
In the flowering phase of common sedum, stem cuttings 10–15 cm long are cut and rooted in damp sand. After 20–30 days they take root.
