Pacific stonecrop
Sedum spathulifolium · Crassulaceae
📷 Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around pacific stonecrop and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Persistent, fleshy and bluish
- Blooming
- June to August, star-shaped yellow flowers
- Adult size
- 15 cm tall, spreading habit
- Growth
- Slow to moderate
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, down to -15°C
- Origin
- West Coast of the United States (California, Oregon)
- Soil type
- Well-drained, poor and rocky
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Sedum spathulifolium tolerates sun, cold and drought: plant it in very well-drained soil.
The common mistake
Watering it regularly or planting in moisture-retentive soil: it rots from the center (rosette blackening).
The pro's trick
Harvest rosettes and resow them everywhere: this sedum spreads from tiny offsets.
Care
Watering
Spatula-leaved stonecrop is a succulent that requires very little water. Water moderately during the growing period (spring-summer) and very little in winter. Allow to dry completely between waterings. Excess moisture is the main risk for this plant.
Light Exposure
Place it in full sun for optimal color and compact growth. It tolerates partial shade but prefers at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Intense sunlight intensifies the bluish tones of the foliage.
Soil and Substrate
Choose very well-drained and poor, even rocky soil. A special mix for succulents, enriched with sand or gravel, works perfectly. Avoid humus-rich and overly fertile soils at all costs.
Pruning and Maintenance
No pruning is necessary. Simply remove faded flowers if you wish to encourage foliage growth. You can divide the rosettes every 2-3 years to rejuvenate the colonies.
Fertilizing
Nutrient supply should be very limited. A diluted succulent fertilizer, applied once or twice at the start of the season, is more than sufficient. Too much fertilizer weakens the plant and reduces its hardiness.
Diseases and Pests
This species is very resistant to pests and diseases if not overwatered. Root or base rot is the main risk in case of excess moisture. Occasionally inspect the roots and remove any softened parts.
Did you know?
The genus Sedum gets its name from the Latin word "sedere" (to sit), referring to the way these small plants cling to rocks. Sedum spathulifolium is native to California's coastal cliffs, where it grows between rocks battered by sea spray, which explains its extreme drought tolerance and thickened foliage due to evaporation.
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
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- Autumn stonecropHylotelephium spectabile
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Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.