Care of the Sedum species sieboldii, kamtschaticum & morganianum

The low-growing garden perennial Sedum sieboldii, known as the October sedum, only flowers in autumn when all other plants have already faded. A pretty late summer bloomer is the Sedum kamtschaticum. The cushion plant, also known as Kamchatka fat leaf, enchants beds with its yellow star flowers. The Sedum morganianum, on the other hand, is more for the room. This snake sedum plant is particularly effective as a traffic light plant. All three succulent plants are easy to care for, bloom tirelessly and can survive for a long time without watering.

Sedum sieboldii

The long-lived beautiful garden perennial Sedum sieboldii is also called Oktoberle or October Fat Leaf. This succulent perennial starts to bloom in early fall. It forms ball-shaped, so-called cymes, with small, pink stars. The thick-fleshed leaves are small, rounded, and bluish-green, often with a delicate purple edge. In perennial borders, this sedum species grows in low clumps up to 25 cm high.

location and soil

The Sedum sieboldii comes from Asia and prefers a rocky, sunny location there. It grows best outdoors, where it is ideal as a ground cover. But it can also be used as a plant on green roofs.

In winter it tolerates frost down to -10° C. In the pot, she should get a cool, bright winter quarters.

The soil can be barren and stony, the main thing is that it is loose and permeable. A stony clay soil is well suited. The optimal pH is between 6.5 and 7.5. In contrast to the large garden stonecrop, the Sedum sieboldii also looks good in pots. Cultivated as a traffic light plant, the shoots grow downwards around the pot. The suitable substrate here is a mixture of potting soil and gravel.

Care

In pots, the sieboldii needs to be watered from time to time. This is hardly necessary outdoors, not at all in winter.

It also hardly needs fertilizer. If you like, you can administer a cactus fertilizer once in the summer.

After flowering, in late October, sometimes even November, the flowering shoots are cut back a little. In this way, the clumps keep a pretty, compact shape in the bed, otherwise they can become bare there over time.

propagation

The easiest way to propagate this robust groundcover is by dividing in spring. But propagation by cuttings or leaf cuttings is also very easy. The best time to do this is before or after flowering. The separated plant parts should dry a bit before they are put into the substrate. A special humidity is not required. The soil should only be kept moderately moist.

Sedum kamtschaticum

Sedum kamtschaticum is a low-growing, thick-leaved perennial. In midsummer it forms many yellow star-shaped flowers on short, 15-20 cm high stalks. Small, rounded, notched and fleshy leaves create a calm, light green background. There are several varieties of the Kamchatka Bacopa with different flower colors.

location, soil

The Sedum kamtschaticum originally comes from East Asia. Here she loves barren, rocky soils and lots of sun. It is also ideal for us in the open air. It is particularly good in rock gardens, on dry stone walls or as a green roof. It tolerates heat and survives frosty winter times. A sandy-gravelly soil is ideal.

But it can also be used in a bucket or balcony box as an uncomplicated, green decoration. In the pot, she prefers a substrate made of earth, sand and gravel or cactus soil. A location in full sun ensures strong leaves and lush flowering.

Regardless of the location, the most important thing is that the soil has extremely good permeability to water.

Care

As you can already see from the preferred locations, special care is hardly necessary. Only in the bucket does it have to be watered occasionally during long dry periods. Special fertilizers are not required. The pot cultures develop best when they are able to hibernate. Frost-free, cool and light, without fertilizer and water. In rock gardens or in beds, the ground cover will keep its shape if the flowering shoots are cut off after flowering.

propagation

The easiest and most successful way to propagate the Sedum kamtschaticum is by division. For this purpose, parts of the clumps can be cut off in spring or autumn and replanted elsewhere.

Sedum morganianum

Sedum morganianum, also known as snake sedum or monkey swing, is an attractive indoor succulent species. As a traffic light plant, it forms meter-long, silvery-green shoots. In summer, it blooms pink to pink-red at the tips. The rounded, thick leaves grow close together on thin shoots. The morganianum is one of the few Sedum species that can be cultivated particularly well as a pure houseplant.

location, soil

The snake sedum originally comes from Mexico. It is therefore used to the sun and, thanks to its thick, water-storing leaves, can do without water for a long time. However, it is not as hardy as its Asian relatives. If your pot is outdoors or hanging, you must hibernate in a frost-free, cool place.

Indoors, it comes into its own in a traffic light container on a south-facing window. It likes a rather dry air, lots of sun and so can shine on windows where most other houseplants would not survive.

A loamy, rocky substrate with good drainage is important for the Sedum morganianum. Like most succulents, it is also very sensitive to waterlogging.

Care

The snake sedum is more likely to perish from over-watering than from lack of water. The substrate is allowed to dry out completely from time to time. Watering once a week is sufficient during the growing season between March and October. If you like, you can occasionally add some cactus fertilizer to the irrigation water. During the rest period, it is hardly watered and not fertilized. A final sign that watering is needed is when the leaves begin to shrivel up.

The Sedum morganianum is therefore a perfect plant for those who like to travel from time to time. Some care is required when moving or hanging, so that the shoots do not break off over the edge of the pot.

Unattractive, bare shoots can be cut off in spring before new shoots emerge.

propagation

Sedum morganianum is best propagated by shoots or leaf cuttings. The separated parts of the plant should dry out for a few days before they are placed in the slightly moist potting soil for rooting.

pests, diseases

The subject of pests and diseases can be described equally for the Sedum morganianum, kamtschaticum and sieboldii. Most damage is caused by waterlogging and as a result the roots are damaged. These then become susceptible to fungi and bacteria. The plants in the pot damaged in this way should be treated immediately:

• Cut off already damaged plants and root parts
• thoroughly remove the old substrate from the remaining roots
• place the plant in a clean pot with new substrate
• ensure good drainage

Occasionally there is an infestation of aphids or scale insects. The usual home remedies help in most cases. In the field, predators such as ladybird larvae or parasitic wasps can be used.

Snail damage is not to be feared. Dry, sandy soils are rather unpopular with the annoying slime, as are the thick, fleshy leaves.

Conclusion

Whether as a houseplant, on the roof, on the wall or in the bed, all three Sedum species are equally enchanting with their foliage and flowers. The thick fleshy leaves of the three are also "to blame" for the fact that they only need to be watered a little. Due to their low nutrient requirements for the substrate, they feel comfortable in places where many other flowering plant species could hardly survive. Propagation is quite easy by seeds, cuttings or division.

Learn more about cacti & succulents