Hardy Sedum Thrives In Dry Weather
by Cheryl Miller,
wibc.com
Advanced Master Gardener
The lack of rain this summer in central Indiana has
many gardeners running for the hose, or watching their prized plants
start to shrivel from a lack of water. But one of the plants still
thriving in many gardens is sedum.
Sedum is also known as stonecrop, or "Live Forever"
as the old timers call it, and it thrives in hot, dry conditions.
As a succulent perennial, its waxy leaves hold moisture to get it
through droughts.
Sedums are survivors. While they prefer sunny, dry
conditions, they also grow in part-shade and moist garden soil.
However, some of the taller varieties tend to flop over in soil
that is too rich or where there's too much moisture.
There are hundreds of cultivars or varieties of sedum.
Some grow as a drought-proof ground cover, while others grow two
feet tall and form nice clumps by their second season. Some bloom
all summer, while others put up blooms in the fall when most other
garden plants have stopped blooming.
One of the favorite types of sedum is the cultivar
'Autumn Joy.' This is a tall, clumping form, which puts up a bloom
in late summer that turns a deep pink in fall. Its foliage is yellowish-green
to grayish-green.
'Dragon's Blood' sedum has dark burgundy/bronze foliage,
with large clusters of red flowers. This is one of the groundcover
sedum and some gardeners complain that it's a little too aggressive
since its trailing ends will root wherever they touch the ground.
Some gardeners recommend keeping groundcover sedum
inbounds with deep mulch in-between plants, because the experts
say sedum won't root in mulch. However, I've found this sedum will
happily root in hardwood mulch, dirt, and even spread into grass
if given the chance. But the shallow-rooted sedum is easy to pull
to keep it in line.
'Dragon's Blood' sedum is an excellent choice for
a rock garden or the edge of a wall. It can also be used in planters,
but make sure the other plants in the grouping require similar care.
While sedum may not be as showy as other perennials,
it's the solution for many problem areas, and it begins to look
its best in the hot, dry days of August and September when other
plants are fading away.
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