Penthorum sedoides
ditch stonecrop
Overview
Penthorum sedoides is an upright, herbaceous perennial 1-2.5 feet (30-75 cm) tall, growing from rhizomes in wet ground. Stems are reddish toward the base and bear lance-shaped, finely toothed leaves 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long that are thin rather than succulent, despite the common name. Small yellow-green flowers, usually without petals, line the upper sides of branched, curving flower stalks that spread like the arms of a star. Flowering occurs from July to September. The flowers develop into five-parted, star-shaped capsules that turn reddish-brown and remain on the plant into fall and winter. The plant grows in shallow water and saturated soil along ditches, marshes, and shorelines, spreading by rhizomes to form patches. It dies back to the rhizome in winter and regrows in spring. Growth is fast in wet, fertile mud.
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America from Quebec and Ontario south to Florida and Texas. Grows in wet ground, including marshes, swamps, ditches, stream banks, and pond and lake shores, in saturated soil or shallow standing water.Suggested Uses
Grown at pond and stream edges, in rain gardens, bog gardens, and wetland restoration, spaced 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart in saturated soil or shallow water. The reddish fall capsules add structure to water-edge plantings. It is unsuited to ordinary dry borders.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 2'6"
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Flowers from July to September, with small yellow-green flowers opening along the curved branches of the flower cluster. The star-shaped capsules form afterward and turn reddish-brown, lasting on the bare stems into winter. Bloom and seed set are heaviest in wet, sunny sites.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade in wet, fertile soil, including saturated mud and shallow standing water up to a few inches deep. Constant moisture is needed; the plant wilts and declines in soil that dries out. It tolerates a range of pH and the low-oxygen conditions of waterlogged ground. It spreads by rhizome to form colonies along water edges and needs little care in a wet site. Drier garden soil does not support it. Few pests affect it in its wetland setting.Pruning
Cut old stems to the ground in late winter before new spring growth, or leave the reddish capsule clusters standing for winter structure. Spreading rhizomes can be divided in spring to control the patch. No other pruning is needed.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons