Sedum sarmentosum
stringy stonecrop
Overview
Sedum sarmentosum is a low, mat-forming succulent perennial in the stonecrop family, spreading by slender trailing stems that root where they touch the ground and reaching only 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) tall. The pale green, fleshy leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, about 0.5-1 inch (12-25 mm) long, carried in whorls of three along the creeping stems. In late spring and early summer the stem tips lift to bear flat clusters of bright yellow, five-petalled star flowers about 0.5 inch (12 mm) across. The stems detach and root easily, letting small fragments start new colonies. Native to China, Korea, and Japan, S. sarmentosum has naturalized widely in North America and Europe, where it grows on walls, rock outcrops, slopes, and old gardens, and is treated as a weed in some regions because it spreads beyond where it is planted. It withstands heat, drought, and poor soil once established. One limitation is its vigorous spread: detached stem pieces root readily and can colonize neighbouring beds. The shallow roots make it simple to pull but quick to regrow from any left behind.
Native Range
Sedum sarmentosum is native to East Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan. It grows naturally on rocky slopes, cliffs, and stony ground, and has naturalized across temperate North America and Europe on walls, banks, and disturbed sites.Suggested Uses
Sedum sarmentosum is grown as a groundcover on slopes, between pavers, on green roofs, and over rock walls and gravel. It binds thin soil on banks and tolerates the shallow substrate of roof plantings. In containers it trails over the rim as a spilling filler.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2" - 6"
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in late spring and early summer, roughly May to June. The yellow star flowers open in flat-topped clusters and draw small bees and flies. In many garden settings the plant flowers sparsely and is grown mainly for its evergreen foliage mats.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
pale greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-10 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
Sedum sarmentosum grows in full sun to part shade on lean, sharply drained sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils across a wide pH of about 5.5 to 7.5. It is a hardy succulent for zones 4 to 9 that stores water in its leaves and tolerates heat and drought once rooted. It needs little or no supplemental water and rots in heavy, wet soils. The trailing stems root at the nodes and knit into a dense mat within a season. It withstands light foot traffic and poor, thin soils where other groundcovers struggle. Rich soil and shade encourage loose, leggy growth and weaker colour.Pruning
S. sarmentosum needs little pruning beyond shearing or pulling stems to keep it within bounds, since detached pieces root readily. Trimming after flowering tidies the mat and removes spent stems. Edging the planting each season checks its spread into adjacent beds.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons