Last updated on October 29th, 2023 at 06:07 pm
Sedum varieties are incredibly diverse and can be found in nearly every color under the sun, but only a few of them will work well as ground cover in your garden or home landscape. To help you decide which sedum varieties to grow in your garden, check out this list of the best sedum varieties!
Sedum, or stonecrop, varieties come in an incredible range of shapes, sizes, and colors, and these hardy succulents make fantastic additions to any garden bed.
Whether you’re looking to brighten up a pathway or add a splash of color to your flower bed, growing sedum varieties are the perfect solution to your garden problem because they’re easy to maintain and very low-maintenance once established.
Sedum plants are incredibly popular because they’re some of the hardiest, drought-tolerant plants around. If you’re looking to add color and dimension to your garden, then adding sedum varieties can be the perfect addition.
While there are many different sedums, these 40 are among the best sedum varieties to add to your garden today!
Sedum varieties for your garden
Sedum purple emperor
This slow-growing but long-lasting succulent has beautiful, deep purple leaves that sit atop gray stems. When planted in a container, they make a very nice centerpiece for any garden. Plus, it’s drought-tolerant! When grown in full sun and watered regularly, it will produce yellow flowers in spring.
If you have an area where you need something that requires very little maintenance and still produces lovely results, look no further than sedum purple emperor! It can be used as a ground cover or as a border. It also works well as an edging plant or between stepping stones.
And because of its small size, it’s perfect for rock gardens or anywhere else you want to add some interest without taking up too much space.
Sedum acre
This succulent variety is often used as ground cover in outdoor gardens, where it can spread to fill a large area with its soft blue-green foliage. It grows to a height of around 6 inches and thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, though you’ll need to keep it in an area that doesn’t get too much sun so it doesn’t die back over time. It also makes for a beautiful container plant if you want to bring it indoors during the winter months.
The best sedum varieties are low-maintenance plants that don’t require much care beyond occasional watering and fertilizing. They grow well in containers or are planted directly into your garden, spreading out over time to create lush green carpets of color throughout your landscape.
Sedum ogon
No garden design is complete without a well-maintained border of ornamental grasses, and sedums are key players in many such borders. If you want to add something to your plant collection that will be easy to grow, long-lasting, and low maintenance, there are few better options than sedums.
One of our favorites is Sedum ogon (pictured above), which has dark green leaves with yellow edges and produces white flowers in late summer. It’s drought tolerant, so it requires little watering once established; it also does not require much fertilizer or pruning once planted.
This variety grows best in full sun to partial shade and needs only occasional watering during dry spells. It can reach heights up to 12 inches, so make sure you have enough space for it!
Frosty morn sedum (Sedum erythrostictum)
Frosty morn sedum has some interesting and unusual-looking stems. It’s a great choice for growing in between pavers. There are also some nice frosty morn sedum plant pictures on Google Images you can check out to get an idea of what your garden will look like with frosty morn in it.
This is one of my favorite types of sedums for growing in a garden or container because it combines form, texture, foliage, and color all into one beautiful succulent plant.
If you want to learn more about growing and caring for frosty morn sedum, there are plenty of resources online that cover everything from how to propagate frosty morn plants (it’s easy) to how long does frosty morn live (it grows well for years).
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’: Autumn joy sedum is another popular variety that produces beautiful pink flowers and green leaves that turn red in fall.
Sedum spathulifolium (broadleaf stonecrop)
Native to North America, broadleaf stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium) was once very popular with gardeners in Northern regions. However, when hardy succulents took off in popularity, many people forgot about Sedum spathulifolium and it became a rarity in gardens.
Now, however, it’s making a comeback as more gardeners are discovering its beautiful blooms and easy care. This plant is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to add some color to their garden without much effort.
Hylotelephium spectabile (Showy Stonecrop)
Showy Stonecrop is one of my favorites, but it’s also a bit pricey. If you want to grow a carpet of color in your garden without emptying your wallet, try Hylotelephium spectabile instead.
This lovely sedum features thick green leaves and plump pink flowers in summer, but its best feature is winter hardiness; Showy Stonecrop survives even Maine winters with just a few inches of snow on top.
It grows well in full sun or partial shade and looks great alongside ferns, hostas, ornamental grasses, or roses. It can spread quickly if left unchecked, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing! You can easily divide up clumps every spring to give away as gifts or use in another part of your yard.
Hylotelephium telephium (Orpine plant, Purple sedum)
Purple orpine is a fast-growing ground cover in Sunset’s Climate Zones 2–10. It needs full sun, so it doesn’t work as a mulch plant for other plants. If you try to grow purple orpine between other plants, it will shade them and stunt their growth, but if you plant it on its own, it will quickly spread and fill in bare areas with green.
It does have an invasive habit, but so do many succulents! If you live in a hot climate, consider planting it near your foundation where it can help cool your house by radiating heat away from your walls. Or use potted purple orpine indoors, it makes a great low-maintenance houseplant that requires little water once established.
Hylotelephium telephioides (Allegheny stonecrop)
This groundcover is a garden superstar with its silvery-green foliage and vivid pink, red, purple, or white blooms that are held above it. It can grow as tall as 8 inches, making it an ideal choice for planting beneath trees and shrubs where little else will grow.
The Allegheny stonecrop also makes a lovely addition to container gardens. Hylotelephium telephioides prefer full sun but tolerate light shade and stay evergreen in zones 4 through 9. Divide plants every three years in spring or fall.
Make sure you do not get sedum confused with succulents. Sedums are hardy perennials, and succulents (Echeveria) are not hardy and must be overwintered indoors when temperatures drop below freezing outside.
Hylotelephium erythrostictum (Garden Stonecrop)
Formerly known as Sedum erythrostictum, Hylotelephium erythrostictum is a low-growing plant that produces clusters of tiny yellow flowers in summer. These bright blooms contrast nicely with their dark green leaves and red stems.
Hylotelephium erythrostictum prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It’s a great choice for rock gardens or container gardening. It will grow up to 12 inches tall and spread up to 18 inches wide. This variety of sedum is hardy in zones 3 through 9. Ideal garden stonecrop is one that can withstand heat, cold, drought, and poor soil conditions.
The best sedums are also easy to propagate from cuttings so you can easily increase your collection of these drought-tolerant plants. You can find many different varieties at local nurseries but it’s also fun to start your own collection from seeds or cuttings.
Sedum sieboldii (Sedum october daphne, Hylotelephium Sieboldii)
Also known as autumn daphne, Sedum sieboldii is an annual that grows on average eight inches high. It produces white flowers in late summer and has a long bloom period.
This plant does best in well-drained soil with some morning sun and afternoon shade, making it perfect for rock gardens or dry areas of your garden. The leaves are grayish-green and have a texture similar to succulents.
The foliage makes a great ground cover when planted en masse. This is one of our favorite sedums because its blooms last so long, even after they’ve been cut back by frost!
Sedum kamtschaticum (Russian stonecrop sedum)
This low-growing sedum forms a low mound that can spread to 4 or 5 inches across. The jagged, serrated leaves grow in clusters atop reddish stems and are topped with light purple flowers. This perennial is hardy from USDA zones 2 through 7.
It likes full sun and well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter. This plant will tolerate both drought and cold weather, making it suitable for rock gardens, pathways, or containers where it can be moved around as desired. The foliage turns red in fall before dying back completely over winter. Plant your Russian stonecrop sedum in spring or fall.
Sedum vera jameson
This stunning succulent is not a true sedum (it’s actually a member of the Crassulaceae family) but it looks like one. Jameson‘s deep green and gray foliage will perform beautifully in both sunny and shady spots—and as an added bonus, you’ll find that it also attracts birds to your garden.
If you want to grow some of your own, just cut off a piece from one of its stems and plant it in well-drained soil. It’s really that easy! The only downside? It can take up to two years for Jameson to bloom. But when it does, those tiny pink flowers are absolutely gorgeous!
Sedum rupestre Angelina (Angelina stonecrop sedum)
This creeping, mat-forming succulent is a great choice for sunny rock gardens and dry, difficult soil. Its unique starry foliage adds texture to any garden. Growing up to 18 tall, its rosettes of grey-green leaves are fringed with white teeth.
Throughout summer and fall, Angelina produces clusters of tiny yellow flowers above ground. It’s hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. It grows best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. It prefers well-drained soil that’s low in organic matter but will tolerate poor soils as long as they’re not soggy or waterlogged.
It does best when planted in an area that receives regular irrigation but can also be grown on drier slopes where it will need less water than plants growing on flat ground.
Sedum spurium Tricolor (tricolor stonecrop)
This is a great plant for those who are looking to add an interesting element to their stonecrop garden. It grows between 3 and 5 inches tall, making it one of the shortest sedums in existence. The leaves on the tricolor are small, creating a cute effect that looks like a miniature house.
Its pinkish-white flowers appear in spring and give way to beautiful red berries later in summer. Tricolor is very easy to grow, so it’s a good choice for beginners. You can use it as ground cover or in containers.
Sedum spurium dragon’s blood (Dragon’s blood succulent)
Dragon’s blood succulent is a flowering evergreen perennial and member of the stonecrop family. This succulent with silvery-gray leaves sports bright, ruby-red flowers in late summer. Tuck it among hardy perennials to soften sharp colors.
Dragon’s blood grows well in full sun or partial shade, is drought tolerant, and prefers average soil but can adapt to almost any condition. It spreads slowly by short stems that root at each node.
Plant dragon’s blood in early spring when you see new growth appear on top of old wood. Space plants about 6 inches apart for best results. It makes an excellent border plant or container specimen and looks great massed together for a dramatic display. It also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden!
Sedum grisebachii
A perennial ground cover with short, gray-green leaves. It is tolerant of hot and dry conditions and can be used as a border or edging plant. Dark pink flowers appear in fall. For best growth, provide partial shade to full sun and well-drained soil.
Deadhead for extended bloom period. Propagate by stem cuttings in late summer or by seed when fresh seed heads are present.
Sedum Blue Spruce (Sedum reflexum)
Blue Spruce is often used in rock gardens and hanging baskets because of its attractive cascading growth habit. However, it also makes a beautiful ground cover or path plant. It has a brilliant bluish-green color during warmer months but turns to deep reds and purples in fall.
This sedum can take more sun than most types of sedums and does well with some drought tolerance once established. Be sure to give it plenty of room as they spread out fairly quickly.
There are many different varieties available, so you’re sure to find one that fits your needs! You can purchase seeds for Blue Spruce from Territorial Seed Company or mail order them from Annie’s Annuals & Perennials.
Autumn Joy Sedum (Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’)
‘Autumn Joy’ is one of the most popular sedums available. A low-growing perennial, it reaches a height of only 4 to 6 inches with a spread of 12 to 15 inches. It features light pink flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer, after which tiny cone-shaped red fruits appear.
‘Autumn Joy’ prefers full sun and soil that drains well. Space plants about 2 inches apart when planting in late fall or early spring. You can also grow them in containers if you want to bring them indoors for winter. Zones 3 through 9.
Sedum spurium John Creech (John creech sedum)
John Creech sedum is an excellent choice for small gardens, or for filling in the nooks and crannies of larger gardens. It’s a dwarf-growing sedum that only reaches 6 inches high, with chartreuse spring blooms. This variety should be planted in full sun to partial shade, in well-drained soil.
The color of the foliage will range from olive green to silver, depending on exposure and growing conditions. It’s deer resistant, making it a good choice for areas where deer are prevalent.
As a succulent plant, it prefers dry soil but can tolerate some moisture as long as drainage is good. Pruning isn’t necessary unless you want to shape your plant into a hedge or topiary form.
Sedum spurium Elizabeth (Red carpet sedum, Phedimus spurius)
A unique ground cover, Red Carpet sedum is a fantastic addition to any garden. With bright green leaves that are densely packed together and pretty pink flowers in spring, you can easily grow Red Carpet sedum in full sun or partial shade.
However, it prefers well-drained soil and should be watered regularly during dry spells to keep it thriving. Space plants 12-15cm apart and feeds in spring with a high potash fertilizer. It’s also worth deadheading spent blooms to encourage reblooming.
Sedum divergens (Pacific stonecrop)
The Pacific stonecrop is a variety of sedum that thrives in dry, exposed areas. This hardy plant prefers full sun and doesn’t need frequent watering. The low-growing foliage is perfect for ground cover and it comes in shades of red, orange, yellow, and green.
Pacific stonecrop grows well in sandy soil but it can also be grown in clay soils that are well-drained as long as they’re not waterlogged. If you live in an area with poor drainage, make sure to add lots of organic matter to your garden bed before planting.
If you want to grow sedum divergens from seed, sow them directly into your garden after the danger of frost has passed or start them indoors 6 weeks before transplanting outdoors.
Sedum ewersii (Pink Mongolian Stonecrop)
As a member of the Crassulaceae family, Pink Mongolian Stonecrop is often one of the first perennials to bloom in spring and offers beautiful, bluish-green leaves that contrast well with pink or white flowers. This succulent grows quickly and loves the full sun as well as partial shade.
The stems grow about 18 inches tall and spread about 12 inches wide. It’s ideal for rock gardens, hanging baskets, and containers. Plant it in groups for an eye-catching display. It’s hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9 and thrives in acidic soil that’s rich in organic matter (such as compost).
Sedum tetractinum Coral Reef (Chinese Stonecrop)
Coral Reef sedum is one of our favorite sedum varieties and great for beginners, who want to give it a try. It’s not very picky about soil, light, or water conditions, making it an ideal plant for new gardeners. The foliage is soft green with reddish-brown tips and edges, which gives it a beautiful contrast against other plants in your garden.
The flowers are bright pink and grow in clusters on tall stems that reach up to 18 inches tall. Coral Reef Chinese stonecrop has thick fleshy leaves that look like they’re made out of stone (hence its name).
This variety will eventually spread out over time, but you can control its growth by pinching off some of its growing tips when you see them appear during springtime.
Sedum Ternatum (Wild stonecrop)
Ternatum sedum is a unique variety of sedum that’s notable for its long blooming season and dark green color. This variety of sedum spreads quickly and is ideal for rock gardens, which it prefers to be planted in. If you want to grow Ternatum outside, plant it in a sunny area with well-drained soil.
The benefit of growing Ternatum is that it can help to keep weeds from popping up in your garden beds due to its ability to spread quickly. It also works as an effective ground cover.
In addition to being useful in gardens, Ternatum sedum is also used as an ornamental plant indoors. It makes for a great houseplant because it thrives on neglect; if you don’t water or fertilize it regularly, it will still look good!
Sedum Album (White stonecrop)
A mat-forming evergreen with silver-white leaves, to 1.5 inches long, on stems reaching about an inch tall. It is a succulent that does best in sunny locations and with well-drained soil. It also can grow in partial shade, although it will be more reddish in color if it doesn’t get enough sun. Like other sedums, white stonecrop is drought tolerant and makes a lovely addition to rock gardens or use as a ground cover beneath trees or shrubs.
If you live in zones 5 through 8, sow seeds directly into your garden in fall for winter blooms. For later bloom times, plant seeds indoors six weeks before your last frost date for spring bloom. Alternatively, buy plants from nurseries at your local gardening center. Make sure you plant them where they are going to stay, they are very slow-growing and difficult to move once established.
Sedum Stenopetalum (worm leaf stonecrop)
Sedum stenopetalum is a low-growing, creeping sedum that makes an excellent ground cover in areas with full to partial sun. Its small pink or white flowers appear in late spring and are attractive to bees. This variety grows well in both sandy and rocky soils, making it a great choice for a rock garden or mixed border.
It grows up to 6 inches high and spreads 18 inches wide. The leaves of Sedum stenopetalum are narrow and light green with darker green veins. The plant blooms throughout summer and into fall, making it ideal for hot climates.
These plants do not tolerate temperatures below freezing very well, so they should be planted in zones 8 through 11 only.
Sedum spurium Fuldaglut (fuldaglut sedum)
The Fuldaglut sedum, sometimes called Golden Carpet sedum, is a vigorous grower and is ideal for a ground cover as it will fill in any empty spaces with low-growing green leaves.
This particular variety of sedum is also very hardy and will grow even in poor soil conditions. It has yellow flowers that bloom in summer and fall. It grows best in full sun to partial shade.
Sedum Murale (Sedum album subsp. teretifolium Murale)
This variety of sedum, also known as rock rose, is one of the most popular hardy succulents to grow in both U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 3 through 9 and throughout much of Europe. This plant is characterized by lush green leaves and small pink flowers.
It’s not just a gorgeous plant that you can use in your garden, but it also attracts birds who enjoy feeding on its seeds. Keep reading for more information about sedum murale.
Sedum cauticola lidakense (hylotelephium cauticola lidakense)
This succulent grows only 6 inches high but spreads 12 to 18 inches wide. The leaves are bluish-green and edged in red, with clusters of starry flowers in late summer.
Cauticola sedums are drought tolerant and don’t need much water. This variety is also one of the most cold-hardy, thriving even in USDA zones 2 to 10. The plant thrives best if planted close together and grown on a slope facing south or west for maximum sun exposure.
Planting it with other flowering perennials will enhance its winter interest. It can be used as a ground cover or rock garden plant. It looks good combined with plants such as daylilies (Hemerocallis), hostas (Hosta), and astilbes (Astilbe). Cauticola sedums grow well in average soil that drains well; they do not like wet feet.
Cauticola is a species of sedum native to southern Europe, including Italy and Greece. It’s hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, where it grows as an evergreen perennial succulent that often grows in clumps or mats.
Its thick leaves give it a bushy form with a strong vertical presence when grown in rockeries or other garden features. The small white flowers add another layer of interest to its overall look.
Although it prefers full sun, it can also grow in partial shade. Most sedums are drought-tolerant once established but will do best if given regular water during their first growing season.
Sedum morganianum Burrito (Burrito sedum)
The Burrito sedum has dark red foliage that looks great planted in a container with yellow-leaved plants. It’s an easy-to-grow plant and can handle both sun and shade.
It thrives in dry soil but is hardy enough to grow well even if you give it some water. The best part is that when it flowers, its pinkish-purple flowers attract butterflies to your garden or patio.
Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly bean succulent, Pork and beans succulent)
As you may have already guessed, pork and beans succulent is a nickname for a plant that has reddish-purple leaves in late spring, yellow-green leaves in summer, and pops of red in fall. The color combinations are lovely when planted with other plants.
Like other succulents, they grow well in rock gardens or containers where they’ll get some shade. It only grows to 3 inches tall, which makes it an excellent ground cover too. Give them plenty of sun (or partial shade) and very little water; if your sedums look pale and parched, give them a good soak.
These little guys can be hardy down to 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C). They also do well indoors on a sunny window sill as long as you don’t overwater them; try using a pebble tray instead. When grown outdoors, you can take cuttings from side shoots throughout summer for new plants.
Sedum lucidum Obesum
From its name, we can tell that Obesum means fat. This variety is one of the best for adding a beautiful shine to your garden and filling it with color and texture. It has rounded leaves that grow in clusters that look great on rockwork or as an edging plant.
The flowers on mature plants are red-orange but not very showy. This variety can reach heights of up to 10 inches with a spread of about 2 feet. If you want to add some height to your garden, consider planting Obesum at its center. You’ll be able to see its pretty foliage from all angles and enjoy its bright blooms during the summer months.
You should be able to find these at most nurseries in early spring. They like full sun but will tolerate partial shade if necessary. They also prefer well-drained soil so make sure there is plenty of organic matter mixed into your beds before planting them out.
Sedum Alice Evans
The perfect ground cover for shady gardens, and a great way to add texture to your garden. Each delicate white flower will eventually turn into a tiny red berry that feeds birds and butterflies in late summer.
This easy-to-grow variety is one of our favorites because it’s so versatile and long-lasting. It can grow up to 18 inches tall, making it ideal for slopes or hillsides. It also makes an excellent border plant around trees or shrubs.
Sedum mocinianum
If you’re looking for an ornamental plant that’s drought-tolerant and has a thick, green carpet of foliage in your garden, consider sedum mocinianum. It’s incredibly hardy and can even withstand frost, making it one of your better choices for perennial plants in your garden.
The only downside is that it tends to grow very slowly so it might take years before you see any color changes on mature plants. But once they reach maturity, they’ll produce pinkish-red flowers all summer long. These will fade into yellow as fall approaches, giving way to small black berries that remain through winter until spring arrives again.
Sedum morganianum (Burro’s tail plant)
A sedum typically used as a ground cover, morganianum also makes an excellent hanging basket and terrarium plant. It has distinctive, dark green leaves and produces tiny star-shaped pink flowers in late spring to early summer. Burro’s tail takes part of its name from a trailing, purple-striped sedum varieties (Sedum pachyclados), which looks much like a donkey’s tail.
The variety is relatively easy to grow and can be found at most nurseries. It prefers moist soil but will tolerate dry conditions once established. Like other sedums, it grows best in full sun or partial shade with good drainage.
Sedum integrifolium
Need a ground cover that isn’t grass? Consider sedum integrifolium, also known as tree stonecrop. This succulent grows in dense mats, so it can easily be used to cover up garden beds or as an addition to rock gardens. Because of its hardiness, it doesn’t need any supplemental watering.
Be aware that its leaves are mildly toxic if ingested by animals and children alike. It reaches about 3 inches tall. Its flowers range from white to pink and appear in spring. It requires full sun and well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0.
If you want to give your sedum some company, consider adding blue fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) for year-round interest. As a bonus, both plants attract butterflies.
‘Elijah Blue’ will reach about 6 inches tall at maturity and spread out to around 1 foot wide. It prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade, making it perfect for shadier areas of your yard where other plants may not thrive as well.
Conclusion
There are thousands of sedum varieties out there and growing them is a fun way to experiment with different textures, leaf shapes, color hues, and heights. This list will help you choose which plants will be best for your garden space and also give you an idea of what’s available in terms of size, shape, and color. Happy planting!
