The sedum is hybrid. Correct planting and caring for sedum outdoors

If you want to have a beautiful blooming corner, but do not have time to take care of it or you have very poor infertile soil, then in this case, the ideal solution would be to plant the "King" of all alpine hills and disagreements - sedum. This plant will become a real discovery for you as a "folk healer" for many ailments. In this article you will read a lot of interesting things about all stonecrops and separately about one of its types - white stonecrops.

General characteristics of sedums and their distribution

Sedum (lat. Sedum) is a very numerous genus, of the fatty family, it consists of about six hundred species. The name, translated from Latin, has two meanings:

• Sit (leaves, due to the absence of petioles, "sit" on plump stems);
• Calmness (one of its healing qualities is to "soothe" pain).

Among the people, stonecrops have many of their interesting nicknames, each of which is given for some special property of the plant. Sedum white got its name from the wonderful white fragrant flowers. Sedums are evergreen and deciduous, frost-resistant and not. Thick fleshy leaves can be pubescent and absolutely smooth, grow on stems: alternately, opposite and whorls. And there are many different forms:

• Needle;
• Spherical;
• In the form of a cylinder;
• In the form of a spatula.

Stonecrops bloom in white, yellow, pink, purple and purple.

Flowers in most species are small and unremarkable. Basically stonecrops are grown as beautiful ground cover rugs. Their stems spread to the sides and easily take root on any free piece of land, transforming still unsightly areas of soil into beautiful natural carpets. And the colors of these "carpets" will amaze you with their variety - dark green, light green, gray-gray, yellow, purple.

Sedums grow in Russia, East Asia, temperate zones of Europe, North America and Mexico. The most widespread frost-resistant stonecrops are white sedum, visible, false, acrid and deflected. For the sedum of Lydian, Evers, Spanish, warmer latitudes with milder winters are needed. The habitat of stonecrop is Europe, the Mediterranean countries, Siberia, North Africa and Asia Minor.

These plants are distinguished by their special unpretentiousness and drought resistance. You can see them both in a well-kept flower bed and in an abandoned area, among stones and sand. The sedum white is one of the most unpretentious plants in terms of conditions. For the successful cultivation of sedums, you need to know just a few simple rules:

• It is advisable to plant them only in a sunny place. In partial shade, they will not show the fullness of their decorative effect;
• The landing site should never be blocked. Sedum can go without watering for a long time, and easily die from waterlogging;
• The soil should not be particularly fertilized. The best for them are poor soils with an admixture of sand, clay and stones.

Sedum white, description and varieties

Sedum white ( lat... Sedum album) is a perennial species of sedum, blooming in summer with star-shaped flowers, collected in paniculate inflorescences. Flowers smell sweet and pleasant, therefore they are an excellent honey plant. Its stems are bare, creeping, forming low rugs. Leaves are fleshy.

It can quickly fill all the free areas of the soil around it, therefore it is considered aggressive.

The sedum white has many varieties. The most popular ones are:

• Coral Carpet (Coral Carpet) - height 4-5 cm, leaf color in summer - green, in autumn - with some shade of purple. Flowers - white with a pink tint;
• Murale (Murale) - height up to 15 cm. In autumn, the leaves turn completely purple. Flowers - pink;
• Album var. micranthum (White small-flowered) - height from 2 to 4 cm. Snow-white flowers. Leaves are green, do not change color.

Decorativeness of the plant

As mentioned earlier, stonecrops are generally not grown for flowering. First of all, they are decorative with their foliage and ground covering properties.

Sedum white, like many other types of stonecrops, will look harmonious on alpine hills, in rocky gardens, on ridges and on the slopes. They also make an excellent composition with other plants in hanging containers, garden pots and planters.

Medicinal properties and uses

The sedum is white, along with other sedum, an excellent honey plant. The honey collected from its flowers tastes great and has the ability to heal many diseases. But sedums are not only beneficial for their flower honey. The composition of stonecrops is unique in its medicinal properties and amazes even experienced folk healers. One plant contains a huge number of useful elements: glycosides, alkaloids, ascorbic acid, tannins, organic acids, carbohydrates, ash, wax, flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, mucus. They contribute to:

Diseases that can be treated with stonecrop: hypertension, bronchial asthma, constipation, nervous disorders, gout, fever, bone and joint pain, malaria, arthritis, ischemia, anemia, ulcers, epilepsy, atherosclerosis, skin rash, wounds, chronic fatigue, jaundice , scurvy, stomatitis, periodontal disease, burns, hemorrhoids, oncological diseases, warts, calluses.

Important to remember! Stonecrop juice is poisonous and can irritate the skin. Therefore, it cannot be used fresh.

Collection and procurement

For treatment, absolutely all parts of white stonecrop are used - flowers, leaves, stems, roots. The upper part of the plant is harvested during the flowering period.

Collect only in dry weather without dew drops.

It is necessary to finely chop white sedum greens and dry under a canopy so that the drying place is sufficiently ventilated. The roots are harvested in the fall and dried in the same way as the top of the stonecrop. Dried flowers, leaves, stems are stored for no more than two years, the roots can be stored for up to three years.

White sedum- Sedum album L ., 1753. Sedum teretifolium Lam., 1778. Sedum vermiculare Gaterau, 1789. Leucosedum album (L.) Fourr, 1868. S. balticum Hartm... f., 1864. Oreosedum album (L.) Grulich, 1984, Sedum athoum DC., Sedum vermiculifolium P.Fourn.

It occurs naturally in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Western Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor. It got its name for its fragrant white flowers. The use in folk medicine has led to the emergence of a large number of popular names: God's color, Bob the thunder, Live grass, Soap, Bee, Skripun, Uzik, Celist, Six-week.

The plant is perennial, evergreen, glabrous, forming in a vegetative state low mats up to 5 cm high. The bases of the stems spread along the ground and are equipped with thin adventitious roots. Vegetative branches are short, with crowded thick oval or elliptical blunt leaves 7-10 mm long. Flowering shoots are straight, upright, slightly reddening with thick, rolling, alternate leaves 10-15 mm long, more dense in the middle of the peduncle. Paniculate inflorescence of several branches bearing umbrellas with curls at the end. Flowers on short stalks, about 10 mm in diameter. Sepals are ovate, obtuse, green, 2-3 times shorter than the petals. Petals are white, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse. Stamens almost equal to petals, white, purple anthers. Blooms in June-July.

In severe snowless winters, it can partially fall. Sometimes it gives active self-seeding. Grows well in partial shade and in the sun. Typical coloration appears only on poor dry soils. After flowering, pruning or plucking faded shoots is required. Aging clumps bloom poorly. Used to create "background" spots in rocky gardens, to anchor slopes, effective in the foreground of a mixborder. It is best to plant in compositions with low ground cover plants. Separate flowering branches with drooping inflorescences against the background of a low rug of vegetative shortened shoots are very beautiful.

Unpretentious and drought-resistant plant. The varieties listed below are winter-hardy in central Russia, but there are forms from North Africa and the Mediterranean, for example " Ibiza"(" Ibiza ") from the Spanish island of the same name, which, most likely, will not winter with us. A new variety" Bella d "Inverno"(" Bella d "Inverno") with cream tops of shoots, selected in Sicily, not tested in the suburbs. Natural forms and high grades somewhat burdensome on slides, as they grow strongly and are able to reproduce, rooting the slightest piece of escape that has come off. Rugs made of them partly lose their decorative effect when faded shoots dry out. After the massive bloom, even rather large "holes" appear in the carpets, which are gradually healed. Due to their undemanding soil and moisture conditions, they can quickly cover the most unsuitable places for plants - stone roofs, walls, areas covered with gravel or gravel. Used as a ground cover replacing small lawns in countries with hot and dry climates. Low-growing varieties look great on slides, in containers, on carpet beds.

Sedum album f. atropurpureum
Photo of the Northern Flora Nursery

A very changeable species. For a long time in culture. It has a number of garden forms and varieties, the most common of the varieties are:
"Coral Carpet"("Coral Carpet") - a bush no more than 5 cm tall, the leaves are reddish, becoming red in autumn. Often not at all what is sold under this name - the usual tall, reddened white stonecrop.
"Atoum"(" Athoum ") - a form with hemispherical, flat top leaves, reddening in the summer in the sun.
"Laconicum"(" Laconicum ") - tall with green, densely sitting thick leaves, sometimes blushes, similar to" Athoum ".
"Rubrifolium"(" Rubrifolium ") - sport (mutation) stonecrop of white wall with leaves of red color without brown shades in summer and dark green in winter.
"Faro Form"(" Faro Form ") - the lowest variety with tiny leaves, up to 3 mm long, forming rugs up to 1 cm high. The inflorescences are also very short. In the summer, in the sun turns red and then turns brown." France"(" France ") - tall, with long green leaves, slightly pink in the sun.
"Hillebrandty"(" Hillebrandtii ") is a large green variety that turns orange-red in summer, sometimes retaining a pink hue in winter.

Forms:
Sedum white small-flowered(S. album var. Micranthum subvar. Chloroticum) is a short plant, with pure green, never reddening spherical leaves and white flowers. Non-blooming rugs no higher than 2 cm, in color - about 4 cm. Widespread in culture.
Sedum white wall(S. album f. Murale) - tall and profusely blooming, with bronze or purple leaves and pink flowers.
Sedum white wall "Kristatum"(S. album f. Murale "Cristatum") - the overgrown ends of the shoots are densely planted with leaves.

Also popular is sedum white variety small-grained(Sedum album var.micranthum), whose plants bear small spherical leaves, similar to emerald beads. In culture, a form with dark-colored leaves ( f. atropurpurea).

Sedum - a plant of various shapes and colors is widely used in garden design... If you do the landing and care correctly, sedum will look like in the photo. Most types of stonecrop are ground cover, undersized. The maximum height of the bush is 70 cm. The unpretentious flower is popular among the people, is called feverish, hernial grass, sedum. Grass or shrub grows in soil where other plants do not live. Therefore, it is used in decorative landscaping, hiding unsightly places.

Agrotechnics of sedum

Unpretentious stonecrop plants are found everywhere. They bloom at different times, have a different structure from grass to shrub. In Russia, sedum is most often found and used in design:

• linear;
• vine-shaped;
• White.

Soil requirement

They say that sedum will grow on the sand if you throw a shovel of humus there. But on fertile soil without excess moisture, the plant feels great. Stony and sandy soil is the natural habitat of hare cabbage. The simplicity of sedum planting and caring for it allows you to create small forms, as in the photo.

Stonecrops can grow in one place for up to 5 years, then the curtain should be planted and sprinkled with fresh earth, sand, rubble, depending on the composition created. When planting, the soil is enriched with sand and ash. In order for the plants to receive enough nutrition, they are fertilized in small portions, but often with humus and liquid formulations with an organomineral complex. If plant varieties are wintering, then nitrogen can be applied only from spring, so as not to violate the resistance to low temperature... Loosening and weeding of flower beds will add health and beauty to plants. Sedum caustic - the only variety that is poisonous itself and squeezes weeds from the garden.

Caustic sedum is called a purifier because it can be used to remove warts. This plant was used by women as a blush, rubbing the juice on the cheeks. The people called him living water for the extension of female beauty.

The sedum pink stood out in independent view... Known for its medicinal properties, Rhodiola rosea is also a sedum.

How to care for stonecrop

The place for stonecrop is chosen to be bright and sunny; you can use it on a rocky and rocky area. Thick, fleshy leaves of stonecrop "tan" become reddish at the edges. In the shade, the beauty of stonecrop will fade, the stems are stretched, the leaves become sparse. There are shade-tolerant varieties, but there are few of them.

When creating a mesmerizing sedum landscape, as in the photo, planting and leaving is not particularly difficult. However, the plant does not like stagnant water; for the winter, dry stems are cut and even covered in cold regions. In the spring, dried branches are removed or replaced with new plants.

Reproduction of sedums

Before planting sedum, it is necessary to clear the area of ​​perennial grasses. The plant propagates by shoots, dividing the bush and seeds.

The easiest way is to dig shoots into clean ground in the spring. They root easily with the cut off aerial part. Root division occurs when long-growing plants need to be planted. They are completely dug out, cut, the sections are dried in the shade for several hours, and only then they are not seated in a new place. The seed method gives an adult flowering plant in two years. Small seedlings with two leaves are immediately planted outside.

Stonecrops spread along the ground and the stem is gradually bare. The landing view gets messy. The stems can be sprinkled with earth or fine gravel, add humus.

Among insects, stonecrop aphids, sawfly larvae and weevils are harmful. When waterlogged, the plants turn black and fall, affected by rot.

Take a look at the photos of numerous varieties and types of stonecrop

As soon as this unpretentious plant was called! In Germany he was given the name fat hen, in Russia hare cabbage... All varieties have fleshy leaves that allow the plant to do without watering for a long time. The genus of succulents has 500 species. In the middle lane, about a hundred varieties are cultivated:

1. Sedum groundcover thorny in the floor bowl in the photo is a dense turfed carpet up to 15 cm high. The leaves are fleshy, cylindrical, bluish-green. It grows in rock crevices in the highlands. It is found in the wild in the Caucasus. All types of creeping sedum are unpretentious, content with low lighting, bloom all summer and winter well. In the flowerbed, this is the background against which tall flowers flaunt.
   
2. Sedum is a prominent tall plant with straight stems. Leaves with a bluish bloom are located throughout the stem. Small fluffy pink flowers are collected in a basket up to 15 cm in diameter. Some varieties have white and red baskets. Stonecrop blooms in autumn, before frost. Sedum looks very picturesque in garden compositions.
   
3. Sedum purple grows everywhere in Russia. Rabbit cabbage blooms at the very beginning of autumn, when the rest of the flowers wither. Straight stems raise the fluffy basket 30 cm above the ground. Thick leaves with a waxy coating retain moisture. Hibernates without shelter.
   
4. The sedum of morgana has a completely unusual appearance of leaves on long shoots. Such a plant looks beautiful in hanging flowerpots, when branches with garlands of barrel leaves go down. In Mexico, where the flower comes from, it was nicknamed the monkey's tail.
   
5. Sedum caustic is very poisonous, it is used in medicine. In nature, it grows near a river, on shallows or in a pine forest. The leaves are oval, the flowers are like a star, only yellow. Sedum blooms for one month at the very end of summer. The plant is 10 cm high and tightly covers the soil. This type of stonecrop grows only in an open place.
   
6. The false sedum got its name because, even when dry, it seems alive, but the rug becomes prickly. The flower is drought-resistant, does not require watering. Decorative hybrids were obtained on the basis of false sedum, but they are less stable and have signs of degeneration. It is this species that never gets sick, and insect pests do not inhabit it.
   

A selection of photos of sedum in garden design

When creating a garden composition, the designer takes into account many factors. It is important for him that the plants are in harmony. Stonecrop is indispensable in the decoration of gardens. different types... The plant is evergreen, winter-hardy and undemanding to care for, it is used as a bright spot or creates a background.

The design of garden compositions is not complete without stonecrops. Groundcover unpretentious varieties used to decorate the roof of small forms, to create architectural compositions. Bright greens of different shades create a unique look according to the artist's plan. Stonecrops are used both in suspended structures and in a rock garden. In spring, when there is little greenery, sedums enliven the garden, in autumn they bloom and play with colors.

Video about the reproduction of a favorite type of stonecrop

The genus includes up to 650 species, mainly distributed in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Pubescent or naked with glandular or simple hairs, straight or ascending, sometimes forming mossy cushions or tussocks, annuals, herbaceous perennials and shrubs.

Foliage is varied in shape, color and size, alternate, whorled or opposite. Sedum inflorescences are usually apical, sometimes lateral, corymbose; flowers are rarely solitary, yellow, white and pink, sometimes red or blue.

It was recently a large genus (600 species) that outnumbered some of the families. After the isolation of radiola, sedum and other plants, there are about 300 species. There are 100 species of the genus in horticulture.

Types, varieties of sedum

Agrotechnically, sedums belong to two groups:

The first group is stonecrop, preferring sandy and poor soils. As a rule, these are the forms that form the carpet thickets.

Under natural conditions, it is found in Russia, Western Europe, the Caucasus, North Africa. Stonecrop got its name for its fragrant white flowers.

Perennial, bare plant forming low rugs 5 cm tall. The bases of the white sedum stems spread along the ground. The inflorescence is paniculate. Sedum flowers are white on short pedicels.

White sedum grows well in partial shade, as well as in a sunny place. The typical color is only seen on poor soils.

Unpretentious plant. All the varieties listed below withstand the harsh winters of the middle zone of our country. White sedum is used as a ground cover plant.

There are garden forms, as well as varieties, of the most common varieties:

"Coral Carpet"- bush no more than 5 cm tall, reddish foliage.

"Atoum"- hemispherical shape, on top with flat foliage, reddening in the sun in summer.

"Faro Form"- low grade with tiny leaves, forming rugs 1 cm in height. The inflorescences are also very short. In summer it turns red and then turns brown.

"Hillebrandty" is a large green variety that turns orange-red in summer.

Forms of white sedum

Sedum white small-flowered - ground cover, with green foliage and snow-white flowers... Non-blooming rugs 2 cm, blooming 4 cm.

Sedum white mural - profusely flowering and tall plant, with purple and bronze leaves and pinkish flowers.

In natural conditions, it grows on rocks, in the steppes, in clearings. Hybrid sedum is common in Russia, Mongolia and Central Asia.

A perennial plant that forms rugs 15 cm in height. The rhizome is horizontal, slightly woody, cordlike. Branching stems, numerous, green.

The foliage of the hybrid sedum is alternate, green, spatulate, obtuse above, coarsely toothed. Hybrid sedum blooms in July-August. Winter-hardy.

Drought-resistant, relatively slowly growing sedum.

"Immergrunchen"- green variety with light yellow flowers.

Homeland is the European part of Russia, Western Siberia, Caucasus, North America.

Perennial plant, forms ground cover sod. Stems are rounded, branched. The foliage of stonecrop is dark green, fleshy, arranged in the next order. The foliage is not shed in the fall, it remains for the winter. The caustic sedum has golden flowers.

Sedum caustic has a variety of forms, differing in size and shape of the flower. There are forms with yellow leaves.

"Minus"- short form with small foliage.

The sedum is caustic, unpretentious, frost-resistant. Used on rocky slides. The plant reproduces by self-seeding.

Grows in Japan, Korea, the Far East on rocky slopes.

The rhizome of Kamchatka sedum is woody, branched, thick. Stems are simple, ascending. The foliage is alternate or opposite. In culture different shapes, white-bordered and variegated.

The Kamchatka sedum is beautiful during the flowering period, when the dark stems contrast with the yellow flowers. The plant is combined with many other plants. Likes to grow in partial shade, in the sun, on moisture-consuming soil.

The species is very variable in nature, different forms and varieties are known in culture. The most common species is Kamchatka sedum and its variety "Weichenstefaner Gold", which is distinguished by its lush flowering, but its flowers are greenish-yellow and small.

Sedum Kamchatka variegated - slow-growing form, foliage with a cream border. In the bright sun, the edge of the leaf turns a little pink, giving a three-color coloration.

"Golden Carpet"- bright green foliage and yellow flowers.

Occurs on rocky slopes as well as subalpine meadows. Distributed in Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus.

Perennial with creeping rhizomes. The foliage is fleshy, dark green, ovate-wedge-shaped. The inflorescence of false sedum is dense, corymbose. The petals are purple or pink, lanceolate, sharp.

False sedum is common in culture. Winter hardy ground cover plant. Very powerful sedum for small hills, can suppress delicate species. Looks great on carpet beds, flower beds and mixborders. False sedum is good for terraced planting.

Sedum is the most common sedum in gardens. There are many varieties.

"Album"- with green foliage and white flowers, low flowering.

"Album Superboom"- foliage is green, flowers are white.

"Bronze Carpet"- with bronze leaves and pink flowers.

"Salmoneum"- salmon-pink flowers.

"Erd Bluet"- reddish foliage and purple flowers.

The second group of plants is plants that give preference to nutritious loams. These are tall forms that form extensive thickets that bloom profusely. This group includes all sedums (sedums) and stonecrops.

Homeland - Korea, Japan, China.

Perennial with tuberous roots and straight stems. The foliage of the sedum is prominent, large, sessile, oval or spatulate. The flowers are pinkish lilac. Blooms 35 days in September.

Sedum grows well on fertile land with good moisture, in the sun. Winter-hardy. Excellent plant for flower beds. It goes well with large stones and low conifers.

Many varieties have been obtained in culture, however, the natural form is also common in gardens.

"Iceberg"- 35 cm tall, with snow-white inflorescences, blooms profusely in August.

"Diamond"- variety with pink flowers, decorated with bright anthers and pink fruits.

"Neon"- 35 cm tall, with bright pink inflorescences.

"Snowquin" and "Stardust"- with white flowers.

Sedum telephium is widespread in Russia, on sandy soils, among shrubs and in pine forests.

A perennial plant with an aerial part. Tuberous roots. Stems are solitary, 60 cm tall, erect, light green, simple.

The foliage of the telepium sedum is numerous, pressed to the top, almost sessile, obovate, wedge-shaped at the base. The inflorescence is dense, corymbose. The petals are purplish red. Blooms in July.

Sedum telephium is a fast propagating plant. This beautiful sedum grows in Russia, in its southern regions.

Variable plant, several subspecies are described:

Garden forms and some varieties are popular in culture:

Sedum "Manstead Dark Red"- red stems, green foliage and purple flowers.

Sedum "Matrona"- a tall, vigorous plant with large, gray-green leaves on purple stems, with pink inflorescences.

Sedum "Pink Jewel"- with green foliage and pink flowers.

Sedum "Rosie Glow"- variety with bluish green foliage and pink flowers, etc.

It grows on rocks, riverbed sands and pebbles. Distributed in Russia, Afghanistan, Mongolia, North India.

Perennial herb. The roots are cordlike, thin. The leaves are glaucous, flat, opposite, obovate. Evers sedum petals are red, purple. Stamens are shorter than petals, purple anthers. Flowering occurs in July. In spring it grows back in May.

Winter-hardy plant. Loves sunny places. In the fall, when the foliage falls off, a skein of tough, dark stems remains. Evers' sedum grows very slowly.

Here are considered species that belong to two genera - seducers (Hylotelephium) and stonecrop (Sedum)... Some stonecrops and stonecrops are visually very similar and are found under the same name - stonecrops. The most striking feature for their difference are flowers - in stonecrop, flowers are always star-shaped at the time of flowering, and in sedum - bell-shaped flowers.

Location of sedum (sedum)

The plant is photophilous, they put up with only slight shading, the coloring of the leaves of some species in the sun is bright and juicy, and some even acquire a blush.

In conditions of a lack of light, the plants stop blooming and stretch very much, losing decorative view... Sedum should be placed so that tree leaves do not cover them in autumn. In the spring, they cannot break through the recession layer. Sedum is drought-resistant. It grows in one place for 5 years.

Soil for sedum (sedum)

All sedums are unpretentious, develop well on any soil with the introduction of a small amount of compost soil or humus.

Some types of sedum and sedum grow in mountainous areas and on rocky soils. There are species that grow in nature on talus and on sandy slopes (caustic), on limestones (Caucasian sedum), under pine forests (poplar, three-leafed sedum). Sedum prominent blooms brighter and better when grown on well-fertilized soil.

Fast-growing ground cover (stonecrop, Spanish) love fertile soil - ordinary, loam. When planting other species, you need to get by with sand, ash and compost.

Sedum (sedum) care

The most hardy sedums in the middle lane are white, acrid, deflected, false and prominent. But the Spanish, Lydian, Eversa, Siebold require shelter in the snowless, harsh winters. Some stonecrops have a wide range, so their varieties will have different winter hardiness.

In the garden, all sedums are subject to overgrowth. After 4-5 years, they need to be divided or cut to maintain beautiful, even carpets. Six years later, stonecrops such as sedum, stonecrop may require "rejuvenation". This operation consists in removing old shoots.

During the flowering period in sedums (Siebold, Evers, thin-leaved), it is recommended to cut off the inflorescences so that the appearance of the carpet does not deteriorate.

When caring for sedums, frequent weeding should be considered, because sedums are not competitive with weeds. But sedum is a caustic exception, since it is itself aggressive.

Almost all sedums (stonecrops) are drought-resistant, so they should be watered only in dry summers and in the first period of time after planting.

Large stonecrops are cut off after the first frost, or dried stems are removed in the spring, because some gardeners like the winter look of faded sedum inflorescences.

Sedum diseases and pests

The plant hardly suffers from diseases. But, large broad-leaved species, for example, stonecrop, are sometimes damaged by the caterpillars of real sawflies.

In damp weather, stonecrop is prominent, common, can be affected by infections, manifested by spots on the stems or leaves. The affected parts must be cut off and burned.

Of pests, on large stonecrops, sometimes aphids are found.

Reproduction of sedum

Cuttings, seeds and rhizome division.

It is necessary to sow seeds in spring or autumn, in boxes or bowls that are placed in a greenhouse or dug into a garden bed. Seedlings are small. When the first leaves are formed, the seedlings dive into the beds. The sedum is a cross-pollinated flower, and the seedlings do not retain their varietal characteristics. Seed propagation is used in breeding.

Sedum cuttings

The easiest, quick way reproduction. Very often, cuttings are used to propagate plants of the first group, their shoots form aerial roots, which, when in contact with the soil, easily root. Even the smallest shoots that fall to the ground during division can take root.

Large sedums, for example, ordinary, red-dotted, prominent, also multiply by dividing rhizomes. They are dug out in the spring and the rhizome is cut so that the delenka has roots.

Using sedum

The plant is suitable for creating carpet compositions, border borders. Tall species are used with great success in groups and mixborders, some species are used for cutting. Sedum looks great on rocky areas.

In order to correctly position stonecrops, you need to understand that most of them are not bred because of their flowers. First of all decorative effect is created by a different colored foliage structure. Stonecrop leaves come in different shades of golden, green, silver, dark red, bluish.

You can make a flower garden only from stonecrops. In the foreground, place low, carpet varieties. In the background, stonecrops of the second group (hybrid, false, Eversa, Kuril). Sedum of the third group is planted in single specimens or in small groups. The Carpathian sedum looks very good and is prominent, they do not fall apart, retain their vertical shape. Such a flower garden will be decorative until late autumn. The lush, bright bloom of stonecrops will decorate your site.

Stonecrops are irreplaceable for miniature rockeries. Create them in small containers. The markets now sell a variety of plastic planters suitable for mini rockeries. As a rule, stones are laid in them and stonecrops of different shapes are planted, and they are supplemented with several young ones.

Stonecrops also help out in cemeteries, when decorating graves in a sunny place.

Many sedum species are excellent honey plants. Golden sedum honey belongs to the best varieties, has good taste and healing properties.

But even without this, such plants become central elements of any landscape design. It is to such plants that sedum can be attributed. This is a herb with a nondescript appearance and flowers, but it can be used to create incredibly interesting and beautiful garden compositions. This is facilitated by the unpretentiousness of sedum to soil and care.

In this article, we will consider the features and description of the sedum, as well as the differences between the most common species and varieties of this plant. Let's talk in more detail about the main nuances of sedum cultivation agricultural technology.

Features and description of sedum

Sedum is a succulent of the Fat family. Another name for this plant is sedum, although among the people you can also find hernia, a feverish herb. Sedum is a perennial, rarely an annual or biennial herb. In nature, this plant grows in the Northern Hemisphere, but it can be found almost everywhere where there are conditions for this. Most of all, the sedum plant is found in nature in Africa, North and South America, and Europe.

The very name of the plant "sedum" comes from the Latin word "sedo", which means "subside" or "subside". The explanation is quite simple, because in the past, many varieties of sedum were used as a pain reliever. Even today, this plant is used in folk medicine.

There is very interesting story about the origin of this plant. It says that Telehos, the son of Hercules, was able to heal with sedum a severe wound that was inflicted on him with a spear. This plant has also been used for a long time by believing Christians on one of the Orthodox holidays. Many of today's church rituals are based on a pagan basis, according to which on the feast of the Corpus Christi it is imperative to weave a wreath of stonecrops to scare away unclean forces. And they hang such a decoration on the door, while it cannot be thrown away, but it is imperative to wait until it dries up and crumbles.

Description of sedum:

• Sedum is most commonly a perennial, although annuals and biennials are occasionally found.
• Stonecrop grows in the form of a herbaceous plant or a small shrub.
• The stem of this plant can be erect, creeping, turf-forming. In all cases, the stem is highly branched.
• The most recognizable feature of the sedum is the thick and fleshy leaves that can be smooth surface or slightly pubescent with coarse hairs.
• Stonecrop leaves are alternate, can be opposite or whorled, which are collected in rosettes of various shapes.
• The leaves are solid with a serrated edge, of various colors depending on the particular sedum variety.
• The flowers of these succulents are in the form of stars, can be of a variety of colors: yellow, pink, snow-white, red.
• Sedum flowers are collected in apical, racemose or umbellate inflorescences. Some sedum varieties bloom as single flowers.
• The flowers are bisexual, well pollinated, and have a scent that attracts insects.
• The inflorescences are very dense and consist of a large number of small flowers.
• Sedum blooms twice: in spring and autumn.
• There are frost-resistant species and plants that can only be grown indoors.
• These are very light-loving plants that in nature prefer to grow on rocky surfaces, forming real carpets.
• Unpretentious sedum, planting and caring for which will not be difficult, is a wonderful decoration for any site and garden.

Variety of sedum species and varieties

In total, today there are about 300 species of sedum, of which only about 100 are cultivated. All sedum plants are divided into two large groups... The first group includes dwarf creeping varieties, which are called stonecrop. The second, more numerous, group includes tall species, which are called sedum plants. Let's take a closer look at the features of sedum species popular in our territories.

Big sedum

• In nature, this type of sedum prefers to grow in temperate regions of Europe and Asia.
• This is a perennial herb that can reach a height of 25-30 cm.
• The stem of this plant is erect and rather thick.
• Leaves are oval in shape with a serrated edge, opposite or alternate.
• Flowers are small, collected in dense corymbose inflorescences, which are located at the very tops. The color of flowers can be red or yellowish-green.
• One of the features of the great sedum is that it is used in folk medicine.
• This species is often used by breeders to develop new plant varieties.

Popular varieties of large sedum:

• Sort "Matrona". A fairly tall plant that can reach 60 cm. The stem is densely covered with blue-green leaves with a reddish edge. The flowers are light pink.
• Variety "Black Jack". It can grow up to 40 cm in height. Its leaves have an unusual shade - bluish-purple color. Blooms with pink inflorescences.
• Linda Windsor variety. The plant is formed by erect burgundy stems, which are covered with reddish leaves. The plant blooms with ruby-colored inflorescences.

Sedum prominent

• The homeland of this type of sedum is the territory of China, Japan and Korea.
• Quite a tall bush, which is formed by erect stems, reaching a height of 60 cm.
• Leaves are light green, small in size.
• The flowers are small, collected in dense inflorescences. They have a pink tint.
• Sedum blooms prominent in September for 25-30 days.

Popular varieties of sedum prominent:

• Variety "Iceberg". An upright bush up to 35 cm high. Its flowering begins in August. Flowers are small, collected in inflorescences. The shade of flowers is white.
• Variety "Brilliant". This sedum variety is distinguished by its bright pink flowers.
• Variety "Neon". The plant can grow up to 35 cm in height. The stem is covered with gray-green leaves and bright pink inflorescences.

White sedum

• The natural habitat of this vila is considered to be Russia, the Caucasus, Europe and North Africa.
• This plant is an evergreen perennial that forms a carpet up to 5 cm in height.
• The flowers are white and very fragrant, collected in paniculate inflorescences.
• The plant itself consists of short twigs, due to which the sedum creates a kind of floral carpet.
• Quite an unpretentious plant that can perfectly withstand harsh winters.

Popular varieties of white sedum

• Coral Carpet variety. A dwarf plant that can reach a height of 5 cm, creating a carpet on the surface of the earth. Differs in reddish foliage.
• Variety "Faro Form". A very dwarf sedum variety that forms a carpet only 1 cm in height. It is distinguished by very small leaves, which are reddish in summer and brown in winter.
• Variety "France". Quite high sedum, densely covered with oblong green leaves, which, with sufficient quantity sunlight turn pink.

Caustic sedum

• The natural habitat is the territory of western Russia, Siberia, the Caucasus and North America.
• A perennial branchy plant that can reach a height of 10 cm, thereby being a ground cover plant.
• The stems are very highly branched and densely covered with dark green foliage.
• The flowers of caustic sedum have a bright golden yellow hue.
• The juice of this plant, when it comes into contact with the skin, can cause ulcers, hence the name of the entire species.

Popular varieties of caustic sedum:

• Variety "Aureum". The plant of this variety is distinguished by the yellowish tops of the shoots.
• Grade "Elegance". A low-growing variety of this species with variegated, slightly twisted foliage.

Kamchatka sedum

• The natural habitat of this species is the territory of Japan, China and the Far East.
• The plant is formed by thick, slightly rising shoots that are covered with foliage.
• In some forms of Kamchatka sedum, the foliage has a white border along the edge.
• It blooms with yellow-orange flowers.

Sedum false

• The natural habitat of false sedum is considered to be the territory of Iran, the Caucasus and Turkey.
• This is perennial with creeping or rising stems.
• Leaves are oval in shape with a thick-toothed edge.
• Small purple or pink flowers, collected in dense paniculate inflorescences.
• Differs in good winter hardiness.
• Having a short stature, it looks great on flower beds, alpine hills, on terraces.

Popular varieties of false sedum:

• Variety "Album". It is a perennial plant with dark green foliage and snow-white inflorescences.
• Grade "Bronze Carpet". Sedum variety with bronze-brown leaves and pink inflorescences.
• Variety "Erd Blue". A very bright plant variety that has reddish foliage and pink inflorescences.

Reproduction of sedum: the most common ways

Sedum is easy to dilute on your own site. To do this, you need to know the ways in which this plant reproduces. In total, three of the most common methods of propagation of sedum are available: seed, cuttings and dividing the bush. Let's consider the features of each of them.

Seed propagation of sedum

• The best time to plant sedum with seeds is in spring, specifically March or April.
• The first step is to prepare boxes or containers for growing sedum from seeds.
• Next, fill all containers with a suitable potting mix, which should be garden soil and sand.
• Gently, about 3 cm apart, sow sedum seeds over the surface of the substrate. Top can be sprinkled with clean river sand.
• Use a spray bottle to moisten the soil and cover with glass or plastic to create a greenhouse environment.
• Next, the seeds need to be stratified. To do this, place the container in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment, where the temperature is on average 3-4 degrees.
• The stratification process lasts about 2 weeks, during which the container must be constantly ventilated and the substrate moistened.
• After 2 weeks, the containers should be placed in a room with a temperature of 20 degrees.
• For 2-4 weeks, the containers should be under the film, and it is imperative to ventilate and moisten daily.
• Seedlings will appear in about 2-4 weeks. They are very small, so remove the film only after a large number of seedlings appear.
• After two leaves appear at the seedlings, they need to be dived.
• Such plants will bloom only after 2-3 years. At the same time, remember that already adult plant sedum grown from seed can be hybridized during growth. Seed propagation is most often used by breeders.

Propagation of sedum by cuttings

• This method is the fastest and easiest, especially for novice gardeners.
• On average, about 70-100% of the cuttings take root.
• You must first prepare a site for rooting cuttings. To do this, they dig it up, level it well.
• Sedum cuttings can be used for propagation before or after flowering.
• They need to be cut into a length of about 5-10 cm.
• Be sure to free the lower part from the leaves.
• Then in the greenhouse, root planting material so that at least one node remains on the surface.
• Then the rooted cutting is immediately planted in a permanent place.
• Alternatively, in the fall, after flowering, you can cut off several shoots of sedum and put them in a container with water.
• Periodically, the water needs to be changed and thus by the spring you will receive a large number of ready-made seedlings.

Propagation of sedum by dividing the bush

• This method of reproduction is most often used for tall species and varieties of sedum.
• Breeding by this method is recommended in early spring.
• A healthy and strong plant must be carefully dug up.
• Next, with a sharp shovel or pruning shears, you need to divide the rhizome into several parts. The main thing is that each part has buds and roots.
• Then all cut sites must be treated with fungicides for healing.
• After that, all parts of the bush need to be dried for some time and then planted in a permanent place.

Preparation steps before planting sedum

Although sedum is considered an unpretentious and frost-resistant plant, it is necessary to carefully prepare before planting it in open ground. It is important to choose high-quality and healthy seedlings, as well as find a suitable place on your site for normal plant growth.

Stage 1. Selection of sedum seedlings

You can buy sedum in any specialized store or an agricultural company that is professionally engaged in plant breeding. When purchasing seedlings, be sure to carefully examine the plant. It should be free of visible damage and signs of disease or pests. The leaves should not be dry or sluggish, and the soil in the container should be clean and moist.

Before buying sedum, be sure to decide on the future garden composition, because all varieties of this plant differ in leaf color, shoot height and frost resistance. In a specialist store, you can get advice on varieties suitable for your area. More undersized varieties select for the formation of flower carpets, and tall plants - for group and single plantings.

Stage 2. Choosing a site for planting sedum

The planting site is also important for normal and full growth and flowering of the sedum. A sunny and open place is suitable for them, although some varieties can tolerate light shade. It is in the sun that the decorative properties of foliage are clearly distinguished. In shady areas, sedum stems can be very stretched, which radically changes and spoils its appearance. Creepers and ground cover varieties of this plant can grow on rocks or rocky places. It is not recommended to plant all types of sedum under deciduous garden trees, because in spring young shoots cannot break through from under fallen leaves.

When choosing a planting site, it is important to take into account the height of the future plant and the color of its foliage in order to combine more harmoniously with other plants.

Stage 3. Selection and preparation of soil

Sedum is an unpretentious plant and can grow well in a variety of soils. However, all species of this plant require a specific composition for full growth. Fast-growing sedum groundcover varieties prefer to grow in nutrient-rich garden soil, while ordinary ones can grow on loamy soil. Some species, such as caustic sedum, prefer to grow on sandy soils. Caucasian sedum loves lime-rich soils. All this must be taken into account when choosing a site for planting your chosen sedum variety.

The area you have chosen must first be carefully dug up, about one shovel bayonet. It is also recommended to add a little humus or compost to the existing soil.

Sedum planting technology in open ground

• The best time to plant sedum in open ground is mid or late May, when the threat of return frosts has finally passed.
• Be sure to prepare your seat before boarding. To do this, you need to make a soil mixture, which should consist of sand and humus, you can add garden soil.
• On the selected site, be sure to prepare landing pits, the size of which should be as follows - a depth of at least 20 cm, and a diameter of at least 50 cm.
• There should also be a certain distance between the plants so that in the future they do not interfere with each other's growth. It must be at least 20 cm.
• A small drainage layer can be placed at the bottom of each pit, since sedum does not like long stagnation of water at the roots. Gravel or coarse sand can be used as drainage.
• Next, carefully fill the planting holes with some of the potting soil you prepared in advance.
• Plant sedum seedlings and sprinkle them with the remaining mixture, gently pressing with your hands.
• After planting, water each plant abundantly.
• You can also cover the soil around the plants with small stones.

Agrotechnics of growing sedum: secrets and nuances of care

Undoubtedly, sedum is very unpretentious plant and can grow in almost any soil and anywhere. However, without proper care of the sedum, it is unlikely to please you with a beautiful and lush bush and abundant flowering. Do not be afraid, the process of caring for this plant will not cause any special difficulties for you. Everything is very simple: timely watering, loosening, top dressing and shelter for the winter for specific varieties.

Watering

It is important to remember that sedum does not like strong waterlogging. Young plants must be watered regularly, but in moderation. You can navigate by the dryness of the soil around the plant. If the ground is already dry, then you can start watering. Older plants, even in hot summers, need less watering.

Loosening and mulching

Plants such as sedums categorically do not tolerate the neighborhood of weeds, so periodically after watering, you need to weed. In parallel, it is recommended to loosen the soil around the sedum, making it lighter and more oxygenated. Different mulch can be used depending on the garden composition. As a decorative element, the soil around the plant can be laid with small stones or pieces of bark.

Top dressing

All types of sedum are not particularly demanding on feeding. However, fertilizer can be added twice a season for lush flowering and foliage growth. The first time the fertilizer is applied before flowering. Can be used water solution with manure and a little nitrogen. The second time it is better to feed the plant after flowering, using complex mineral fertilizers.

Disease and pest control

Sedum has good disease and pest resistance. Occasionally, however, this plant may need your help.

• Rot. This is fungal disease, which can appear in a plant with improper care. Its symptoms are: dark spots on leaves and stems. If such signs are found, the damaged areas must be cut off and burned, and the whole plant must be treated with special fungicides.

Pests:

• Aphid. This pest can damage the leaves of the plant, depleting them. To combat aphids, it is recommended to use insecticides, however, it is necessary to breed in a smaller volume than is recommended. Sedum can get burned.
• Nematodes. A very serious pest that primarily attacks root system plants. the donkey is the entire aerial part of the sedum withers and dries up. There are no measures to combat this pest, so damaged plants should be dug up and burned. In this case, it is imperative to process the place where the plant grew.
• Weevil. It is recommended to remove such a pest by hand.

Preparing for winter

Before the onset of cold weather, it is recommended to cut off all the shoots of the plant. Also, if you are growing more exotic sedum varieties, it is worth considering sheltering the plant. To do this, the soil around it can be mulched and covered with a covering material. In the spring it will need to be removed and the soil free from excess material so that nothing interferes with the growth of young shoots.

The use of sedum in landscaping

Sedum is very beautiful and ornamental plant, because each of its species has its own unique foliage color. It is this feature that landscape designers often use to create the most incredible and unique garden compositions.

• Low-growing creepers or soil-plowing sedum varieties will look great as an element of rockeries, alpine slides or mixborders.
• Ground cover varieties of this plant are often used to create picturesque flower carpets among the lawn or on a small hill.
• Many varieties of this type of succulents feel great surrounded by stones, so they can be planted in rocky gardens.
• It is recommended to plant tall varieties of sedum in groups, so they look more harmonious and beautiful.
• Creepers can also be planted along curbs or garden paths.
• Alternatively, some sedum varieties thrive in pots that can be placed on steps or over a plot.

Photo of sedum in landscape design

To see more clearly the features of the appearance of the sedum and the options for its use in landscape design you can in the photos below.

Sedum without any special bright colors in its appearance can be a great decoration for your garden. At the same time, you will not need much effort and expense when planting and growing it.