When it comes time to design your yard, undoubtedly one amongst my finest objects of recommendation is to level out to nature. When you could be capable of coax a desert plant to outlive contained in the humid southeast or use shade materials to guard a woodland plant from the cruel picture voltaic current in an open yard, it’s simpler to find out on vegetation efficiently suited to your surroundings.
So, should you’re searching for vegetation to brighten up rock gardens, stone partitions, and patios stuffed with pavers, flip to stonecrops! These vegetation develop on uncovered rocky cliffs and mossy woodland boulders, in order that they’re well-suited to the shallow, poor soil typically present in rock gardens and associated areas. Plus, they’re proof against deer, rabbits, and utterly totally different problematic pests.
And don’t assume you’re restricted to some choices! You most likely can select from vining stonecrops with tiny leaves that resemble pine needles and varieties that ship up tall steps topped with vibrant flower clusters. With a lot fluctuate in sorts of stonecrop, it is likely to be highly effective to resolve which vegetation to find out on. That’s why I’ll introduce you to 13 of the appropriate stonecrop varieties so as in order so as to add to your rock yard.
Stonecrop and Sedum: What’s the Distinction?


Earlier than I dive into some stonecrop varieties that work efficiently in rock gardens, let’s clear up some widespread confusion surrounding the phrases sedum and stonecrop. Are these two phrases interchangeable? Does one nestle contained in the reverse?
Sedum is the genus title used to make clear a bunch of roughly 420 species, nonetheless folks typically use the widespread time interval sedum to hunt advice from any of those vegetation. Utilizing the genus title to make clear included species furthermore happens with vegetation like violas and fuchsias.
The Sedum genus used to include additional species, nonetheless scientists reclassified a few of these vegetation into the smaller, separate genera Hylotelephium and Rhodiola. Though the species in these genera technically are literally not members of the Sedum genus, folks typically nonetheless search advice from them as sedums.
So, what about stonecrop? It seems stonecrop is simply the widespread title for any member of the Sedum genus and associated genera. So it’s worthwhile to use the phrases sedum and stonecrop interchangeably.
13 Greatest Stonecrop Varieties for Your Rock Yard
Though all sorts of stonecrop develop efficiently in poor and shallow soil, every selection has distinctive preferences. For instance, some sorts of sedum develop efficiently in dappled shade, whereas others require full picture voltaic to thrive. Be taught by the use of the next traits of every plant and choose one (or additional) that’s best for you!
Woodland Stonecrop


Usually typically referred to as wild stonecrop, whorled stonecrop, mountain stonecrop, and three-leaved stonecrop, this species is native to loads of {{the japanese}} and central United States. It naturally grows on rocks and boulders contained in the dappled shade of forests, which means it’s a superb totally different for partially shaded rock gardens. Since these vegetation care for moisture elevated than differing sorts of sedum, they’re furthermore an exquisite match for moist and mossy areas.
So far as seems to be, woodland stonecrop maintains a brief and vining kind that sprawls to kind a dense groundcover. In the course of the late spring and early summer time season season, the vegetation ship up transient flower stalks lined in white, star-shaped flowers with 4 delicate petals.
Woodland stonecrop doesn’t concepts moist soil or shade, nonetheless it requires good drainage. Fortuitously, most rocky areas are naturally well-draining. You might even plant it in containers stuffed with sandy or coarse soil.
‘Autumn Pleasure’ Sedum


‘Autumn Pleasure’ is among the many many hottest kinds of tall stonecrops. In case you’ve seen a plant with succulent-like light inexperienced leaves and tall stems topped with clusters of tiny pink flowers, likelihood is good it was ‘Autumn Pleasure!’
The vegetation produce their lovely flowers inside the midst of summer time season season, and the blooms stick spherical till the autumn. Even after the flowers fade, ‘Autumn Pleasure’ provides curiosity to the yard on account of the blooms change from pink to heat shades of orange.
Since ‘Autumn Pleasure’ vegetation develop a few ft tall, they work efficiently in bigger plantings of drought-tolerant flowers. Merely make certain you don’t over-fertilize or overwater them—these vegetation develop finest in poor, dry soil and should bear should you present them with an excessive amount of tender care.
Cliff Stonecrop


Usually typically referred to as Appalachian stonecrop, this species grows on limestone outcrops contained in the Mid-Atlantic house. Nonetheless, it’s concentrated in a small space, so it’s highly effective to see contained in the wild. Irrespective of this, the vegetation survive efficiently in rock gardens and make good additions to native plant gardens.
Its progress kind is type of distinctive, with small rosettes of leaves defending the underside. An entire lot of the leaves are light inexperienced, nonetheless these close to the pores and pores and skin of the rosette flip a shocking rosy pink. Provided that rosettes maintain transient, this stonecrop is a wonderful floor cowl for rocky areas or sandy soils. In the course of the late spring and summer time season season, the vegetation ship up transient flower stalks lined in white and pink flowers.
Like most sorts of stonecrop, this plant prefers poor and well-draining soil. Cliff stonecrop prefers partial shade or dappled light, so it makes an exquisite plant for the perimeters of homes or the understory of taller vegetation.
White Stonecrop


Everytime you take a look at white stonecrop’s light inexperienced leaves, you might marvel what the time interval white refers to. Nonetheless your confusion will fade should you see the vegetation’ clusters of white, star-shaped flowers.
White stonecrop grows by way of spreading stems which can root into the underside, so it’d correctly shortly develop and develop inside the appropriate surroundings. Whereas that is normally a very good difficulty should you’re searching for a plant to fill in empty areas, keep in mind white stonecrop can typically choke out utterly totally different low-lying vegetation.
Attributable to its excessive tolerance of vibrant light, excessive temperatures, and shallow soils, white stonecrop is a well-liked plant for inexperienced roofs and xeriscapes. Nonetheless, don’t assume you’ll be able to stroll on this tender plant! Like most sorts of stonecrop, its fragile leaves will change into broken when trampled.
Cascade Stonecrop


Usually typically referred to as spreading stonecrop, this plant produces small, rounded leaves alongside sprawling stems. In case you squint and use a bit bit little little bit of creativeness, it nearly seems to be similar to the stems are lined in inexperienced jelly beans! The vegetation furthermore produce vibrant yellow flowers inside the summertime.
As its widespread title suggests, Cascade stonecrop is native to areas contained in the Pacific Northwest with well-draining soil and on the very least partial picture voltaic. Try planting it in rock gardens or utterly totally different areas with free and nutrient-poor soil.
Sedum ‘Blue Spruce’


In case you’re searching for a reasonably stonecrop to fill a gravel-covered space of your yard or path over a rock wall, put ‘Blue Spruce’ in your doc. This hybrid selection produces trailing stems lined with skinny, pointed, blue-green leaves that resemble spruce needles.
Whereas the foliage alone is attractive, the vegetation furthermore ship up tall flower stalks topped with vibrant yellow blooms. These flowers proceed blooming for just a few month and are favorites of helpful bugs, together with butterflies, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps.
So long as ‘Blue Spruce’ receives on the very least six hours of vibrant light every day, it’s a hardy and easy-to-grow plant. Bear in mind to plant this stonecrop in an space with well-draining soil, and don’t overlook these vegetation thrive with little water and fertilizer.
Sedum ‘Angelina’


Most of the stonecrop varieties on this doc cowl the underside with muted shades of inexperienced, nonetheless ‘Angelina’ mixes factors up with chartreuse and yellow leaves. S, for many who need to brighten up your rock yard, that is the stonecrop for you!
‘Angelina’ is one totally different sprawling stonecrop with trailing stems that develop to kind a dense groundcover. If supplied with the right care and surroundings, a single plant can lastly cowl greater than a cubic yard of house! Nonetheless, you’ll be able to merely pull rooted stems from the underside to include the plant’s unfold.
The vegetation produce yellow flowers, nonetheless it’s typically highly effective to see these blooms amidst the similar coloured leaves. Whereas these flowers fade inside the autumn, the vegetation positioned on a mannequin new present as their leaves fade to orange.
Sedum ‘Coral Reef’


A hybrid number of the stonecrop normally generally generally known as Chinese language language language sedum, ‘Coral Reef’ stands out from utterly totally different stonecrops attributable to its disk-shaped leaves. These rounded and flattened leaves seem alongside trailing stems, resulting in a whimsical look. Everytime you add inside the truth that the leaves are a mix of inexperienced and pink, it’s easy to see why this selection is a well-liked addition to well-drained areas.
When extended days arrive, the vegetation ship up stems lined in tiny flowers that is likely to be some shade of pink, yellow, or white. The flowers stick spherical for on the very least a month so long as the vegetation purchase ample picture voltaic.
To care for these vegetation absolutely comfy, plant them in an space with direct picture voltaic and well-draining soil. Every moist or dry soil is okay—merely make sure that the plant isn’t sitting in fixed moisture.
Mossy Stonecrop


Don’t let the widespread title idiot you; that is normally a type of sedum and under no circumstances an precise moss! Nonetheless, it’s easy to find out the dense clusters of tiny inexperienced leaves defending a rock and assume you’re taking a look at a lush patch of moss. Nonetheless you’ll uncover the succulent inexperienced leaves develop out from transient stems everytime you step nearer.
Relying in your targets and the surroundings, mossy stonecrop’s dense progress may be every educated or a con. The plant’s spreading, horizontal stems shortly fill in naked and rocky floor with coloration, so it’s an exquisite probability for empty rock gardens and well-draining yard patches. Nonetheless, this non-native stonecrop can outcompete widespread yard grasses and change into problematic.
Sedum ‘Ogon’


A stupendous number of Japanese sedum, ‘Ogon’ selections small rounded leaves alongside transient stems. The leaves maintain vibrant yellow all by the spring and summer time season season, they typically change to a superb salmon pink when cooler native climate hits.
Though mature ‘Ogon’ vegetation can tolerate low-cost to extreme drought, this stonecrop selection may care for wetter soil elevated than differing sorts of stonecrop. The vegetation nonetheless require well-draining soil, nonetheless they obtained’t concepts if the soil stays moist.
One totally different good thing about ‘Ogon’ is that it kinds dense patches with out choking out surrounding vegetation. Because of this actuality, you’ll be able to combine it with differing sorts of stonecrop and succulents with out worrying about it taking up.
Broadleaf Stonecrop


Native to the West Coast of the USA and Canada, you will uncover broadleaf stonecrop rising alongside rock faces and cliffs contained in the wild. Since this plant tolerates each full picture voltaic and partial shade, it’s an exquisite addition to many rock gardens and patios, notably contained in the West. Try planting it underneath tall flowering vegetation and grasses since it doesn’t concepts the shade.
Broadleaf stonecrop produces transient stems lined with tiny, rounded, light blue-green leaves. The tops of the leaves kind rosettes that resemble miniature wild roses. Whereas these leaves maintain inexperienced for many the yr, they develop a stupendous pink hue inside the autumn.
Sedum ‘Tricolor’


Whereas many sorts of stonecrop develop two-toned colours on account of the temperatures drop, ‘Tricolor’ stays multicolored year-round. The small leaves are light inexperienced inside the guts and have white and pink edges. In the course of the autumn, all the leaf develops a pink hue. For the appropriate coloration, plant this selection in full picture voltaic.
Though this plant has transient stems, it’d correctly develop to kind a dense floor cowl. Because of this actuality, it truly works efficiently for filling in rocky patches in gardens or along with coloration to rock gardens. The vegetation furthermore produce pink flowers within the midst of the summer time season season.
Though ‘Tricolor’ could look extraordinary, it grows inside the equal poor, well-drained soils as differing sorts of stonecrop. It might furthermore tolerate a variety of temperatures, so don’t hesitate to plant it should you dwell in a cooler house.
Grey Stonecrop


Many stonecrop varieties produce rosettes of fleshy leaves, nonetheless few rival these of grey stonecrop. These vegetation produce many tiny rosettes that resemble a cute little cabbage patch or cluster of miniature roses. Every leaf has wavy margins, aka edges, creating an moderately extra distinctive look.
Grey stonecrop has underground runners that unfold and create dense floor covers, so you’ll be able to use the vegetation to fill empty areas in rock gardens. Nonetheless, the vegetation furthermore look lovely trailing over stone partitions. Together with lovely leaves, grey stonecrop produces delicate, white, star-shaped flowers.
Remaining Ideas
No matter which stonecrop selection you select, you’ll be able to rely on a low-maintenance plant that thrives in poor soils. Bear in mind to plant these succulent vegetation in an space with well-draining soil and steer clear of making use of an excessive amount of fertilizer. Don’t be afraid to combine and match fairly just a few varieties to create a rock yard stuffed with utterly utterly totally different colours and textures!