Thick-leaf stonecrop
Sedum dasyphyllum · Crassulaceae
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around thick-leaf stonecrop and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, powdery blue-gray
- Flowering
- June to July, white or pale pink flowers
- Adult size
- 5 to 10 cm in height, 15 to 20 cm spread
- Growth
- Slow
- Hardiness
- Down to -10 °C (zones 8-9)
- Origin
- Mediterranean regions and Middle East
- Soil type
- Well-drained, poor, dry
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
Care
Watering
Water moderately during spring and summer growth, letting the soil dry out completely between waterings. In winter, reduce watering drastically; this succulent tolerates drought well. Excess water is the main risk: prefer light, spaced-out watering.
Light exposure
Place your Thick-leaved Stonecrop in full sun to achieve the best blue coloring and compact growth. It tolerates partial shade but remains more etiolated and loses some of its ornamental charm.
Soil and substrate
Use succulent or cactus potting mix, enriched with perlite or coarse sand to guarantee optimal drainage. Stonecrop dreads stagnant moisture; a lean and porous soil suits its needs perfectly.
Pruning and maintenance
No real pruning is necessary: this plant remains naturally compact and low-growing. Simply remove dead or damaged rosettes to maintain a neat appearance. It can be lightly pinched if you wish to encourage branching.
Fertilizing
Apply a highly diluted succulent fertilizer once or twice in spring-summer. Stonecrop doesn't demand much nutrients: poor soil is more than sufficient for its development.
Diseases and pests
Root rot from excess moisture is the main problem. Mealybugs and spider mites can occasionally affect it indoors. Check foliage regularly and maintain good ventilation to prevent these issues.
Did you know?
Thick-leaved Stonecrop is a pioneer plant capable of colonizing rocks and arid walls: its fleshy leaves act as water reservoirs, allowing it to survive in extremely hostile environments. In Mediterranean regions, you'll find it naturally on coastal cliffs and rocky terrain, a symbol of plant resilience.
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.