Petrosedum ochroleucum
Petrosedum ochroleucum · Crassulaceae
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around petrosedum ochroleucum and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, fleshy and bluish
- Flowering
- Summer (July-August), pale yellow to white flowers
- Adult size
- 10-15 cm tall, compact and spreading habit
- Growth
- Slow
- Hardiness
- Good, down to around -10 °C
- Origin
- Mediterranean regions and southern Europe
- Soil type
- Well-drained, light, poor to moderate
Care
Watering
Water moderately during growth (spring-summer), allowing the substrate to dry between waterings. In autumn and winter, reduce drastically: one to two waterings per month are sufficient. Avoid stagnant water which causes root rot.
Light exposure
Place your stonecrop in full sun or partial shade. Intense sunlight intensifies its bluish colouring and limits etiolation. Lack of light makes the plant too elongated and less compact.
Soil and substrate
Use a very well-draining mix: cacti/succulents potting soil enriched with perlite or coarse sand. Soil that is too rich or too moist causes rot. Repot every 2-3 years in late winter.
Pruning and pinching
Pinch back young stems regularly to maintain compact shape. Remove dead or damaged leaves. Light pruning after flowering encourages branching.
Fertiliser
Apply low-nitrogen fertiliser, rich in phosphorus and potassium, once or twice during the growing season (April to September). Succulents need little nitrogen, which would promote soft growth.
Pests and diseases
Watch for mealybugs and spider mites in dry indoor conditions. Excess humidity causes rot. Improve air circulation and reduce watering if problems arise.
Did you know?
Petrosedum ochroleucum is one of the small cold-hardy Mediterranean succulents being rediscovered by plant collectors. Its name 'ochroleucum' means 'pale yellow', referring to its delicate flowers that attract bees and butterflies even in mountainous regions.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring, once all risk of frost has gone. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: from April to June.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Biting stonecropSedum acre
- Cobweb HouseleekSempervivum arachnoideum
- Pacific stonecropSedum spathulifolium
- Pig's earCotyledon orbiculata
- Tree roofleek, Tree aeoniumAeonium arboreum
- Autumn stonecropHylotelephium spectabile
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.