Neat and compact, sedum perennials produce lovely blossoms for the spring and summer and attractive seedheads for the fall and winter. Plants grow from about 18 to 22 inches tall and do well in full and partial sun. Leaves are succulent and stems are sturdy. They mix well in beds with asters and Black-eyed Susans both in garden beds and landscape sweeps. Attractive to bees and butterflies, sedum perennials are easy to grow, tolerant of drought, and last long when cut for indoors.

The genus sedum is one of the Crassulacea order, hence the succulence of the leaves and stems. Although there are about 120 species of sedum, only Sedum acre (Stonecrop) figures into gardens. These Stonecrop sedum perennials are widely distributed across the United States.

Varieties of Sedum Perennials

Dragonsblood sedum is a fast-growing groundcover with intense and deep red flowers. It forms a dense mat about four to eight inches high, and is very tolerant of both heat and drought and cold and humidity. Elizabeth Red Carpet reaches only three to four inches high and spreads about 24 inches. It is particularly appealing for bees and butterflies.

Showy Sedum (Sedum spectabile), native to China and Korea, blooms star-shaped musky pink flowers about a half inch across in dense flat-topped clusters. These prefer full sun but accommodate partial sun also. They make excellent container plants and look particularly well in rock gardens. Sedum Angelina has golden yellow foliage and blooms in yellow flowers. A trailer, it prefers partial sun and sandy soil.