Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Stonecrop

Sedum makinoi (SEE-dum MACK-in-oy)

Family: Crassulaceae Non-native Groundcover (<1 ft)

Stonecrop is a small (4 inch high) plant with four-parted flowers in yellow and green that, like many of its genus, is often used as ground cover. The leaves tend to fall off easily; however, the fallen leaves can be used to propagate new plants. Some references describe this plant as mildly toxic if ingested, while others do not. In any event, stems and leaves may be eaten raw when very young and tender. As the stems and leaves age, but before the plants flower, the edible parts may still be eaten if they are briefly cooked. The sap can irritate the skin of some people and the leaves, eaten in quantity, can cause stomach upsets. In nature, stonecrop is often found in sunny situations in forests or natural areas. It can be grown as a houseplant with bright direct light from a window or grow light. Use a coarse, well-drained soil, preferably a cactus mix. Or, it can be grown outdoors where it should be sited for sun to part sun in well-drained soil. It seldom needs watering, but will grow in moist soils with good drainage. The plant tolerates drought and heat, rocky and poor soils, and establishes itself quickly. It may do less well in cold temperatures. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No serious diseases or insect problems, except for occasional slugs and snails. Avoid wet or poorly drained conditions. VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course created in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 60 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 5 - Groundcover (<1 ft) Optimal soil pH Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Hylotelephium cauticola Sedum Sedum acre

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Ground Cover; Herbaceous Perennial; Houseplant; Perennial; Succulent
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Very Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 4 in. | Width: 0 ft. 4 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Orbicular
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Thick cover of blunt, conical, pale green leaves (each to only 1/4 inch long). Leaves overlap like shingles.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small, terminal clusters of tiny, star-shaped, five-petaled, yellow flowers (each to 1/2 inch across) bloom in flat terminal inflorescences just above the foliage in mid to late summer.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Stem detail
low, thick stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, South Korea, Japan
Wildlife value
attracts butterflies
Attracts
Pollinators; Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Textural
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers; Stems
Fruit type
Capsule

Edibility

The stems and leaves, when very young and tender, may be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked. When ingested in large quantities, can cause stomach upset.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Naturalized Area; Recreational Play Area; Rock Wall; Slope/Bank
Landscape theme
Children's Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#ncemgva2018 #evergreen #children's garden #pollinator plant #poisonous #groundcover #bird friendly #fall interest #houseplant #edible leaves #herbaceous perennial #container plant #interiorscape #playground plant #deciduous #low growing #succulent #perennial #herb garden #edible #fpp
Problems & Resistance
Disease problems
Southern Blight of Herbaceous Ornamentals
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Poor Soil; Rabbits
Propagation
Division; Leaf Cutting; Seed; Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.