Sedum

Sedum burrito

Baby Burro's Tail

A trailing succulent subshrub from Mexico's Gulf region, storing water in its plump, bead-like leaves and built for bright sun and gritty, fast-draining mix. Water deeply only when the soil has dried out completely through the pot, then let it dry again; standing moisture rots the stems and roots. The leaves detach easily, so handle the trailing stems gently.

Sedum morganianum

Burro's-tail

Sedum morganianum is a trailing succulent subshrub from the arid and semi-arid regions of central and southern Mexico, where it stores water in its plump, bead-like leaves. Plant it in a gritty, fast-draining mix and water deeply only once the soil has dried out completely, when the leaves begin to look slightly less firm. It tolerates dry indoor air well and resents sitting wet, which causes root and stem rot.

Sedum rubrotinctum

Christmas-cheer

A succulent subshrub in the Crassulaceae family, this plant stores water in its plump, bead-like leaves and rots if kept wet. Give it gritty, fast-draining mix and bright light, ideally several hours of direct sun, and water only when the soil has dried out completely and the leaves begin to look slightly less firm. Let it approach dry between waterings; thirst is recoverable, but soggy roots are not.

Sedum sarmentosum

Stringy Stonecrop

Sedum sarmentosum is a creeping succulent perennial from East Asia, storing water in its fleshy leaves and trailing stems. It wants gritty, fast-draining mix and bright light, ideally several hours of direct sun. Water deeply only once the soil has dried out completely, when the leaves begin to feel slightly soft rather than firm; it rots quickly if left sitting wet.

Sedum adolphi

Coppertone Stonecrop

Sedum adolphi is a succulent subshrub from the Gulf region of Mexico, storing water in its fleshy leaves and adapted to bright, dry conditions. Give it gritty, fast-draining mix and the brightest spot you have, ideally some direct sun, then water deeply only once the soil has dried out completely. Wait until the top two inches of mix are fully dry and the lower leaves feel slightly soft before watering again; it rots quickly if left damp.

Sedum spathulifolium

Colorado Stonecrop

Sedum spathulifolium is a small succulent subshrub from the rocky outcrops and open slopes of the western North American coast, where it stores water in fleshy leaves and tolerates lean, fast-draining soil. Give it gritty, sharply drained mix and bright sun, and water deeply only when the soil has dried fully through the pot — typically every 10 to 21 days, leaning toward the longer interval. It rots quickly if left sitting in moisture, so when in doubt, wait.

Sedum sexangulare

Tasteless Stonecrop

Sedum sexangulare is a hardy succulent subshrub native across temperate Europe, where it grows on dry, sunny banks and rocky ground. It stores water in its fleshy leaves and rots if kept wet, so plant it in gritty, fast-draining mix and water only when the soil has dried out completely. Give it the brightest, sunniest spot you can; it tolerates cool, dry air well.

Sedum dasyphyllum

Thick-Leaved Stonecrop

Sedum dasyphyllum is a low succulent subshrub native to rocky, sun-exposed sites around the Mediterranean and southern Europe, where it stores water in its small bluish leaves and tolerates drought far better than wet feet. Give it bright, direct light and a gritty, fast-draining mix, and water only when the soil has gone completely dry and the leaves begin to look slightly less plump. Err toward under-watering; sitting in damp soil will cause the stems and roots to rot.

Sedum ternatum

Wild Stonecrop

Sedum ternatum is a succulent subshrub native to shaded, rocky woodland slopes and stream banks across eastern North America, so unlike many sedums it tolerates less intense light and slightly more moisture than its desert relatives. Give it bright indirect light and gritty, fast-draining mix, and water only when the top inch or two of soil has gone dry. As a succulent it stores water in its leaves and rots if left sitting wet, so err toward the dry side.

Sedum dendroideum

Tree Stonecrop

Sedum dendroideum is a succulent subshrub from the highlands of Mexico and Guatemala, storing water in fleshy, paddle-like leaves and resenting wet feet. Plant it in gritty, fast-draining mix and let the soil dry out fully — water only when the top several inches are dry and the lower leaves feel slightly soft. It tolerates bright light and can take some direct sun once acclimated, but bright indirect is the safe default indoors.

Sedum mexicanum

Mexican Stonecrop

A succulent subshrub from Mexico and Guatemala, Sedum mexicanum stores water in its fleshy leaves and wants gritty, fast-draining mix and plenty of bright light, including some direct sun. Water deeply but infrequently, only once the soil has dried out completely and the leaves begin to feel slightly soft. It rots quickly if left sitting in wet mix, so err toward keeping it dry.

Sedum pachyphyllum

Jellybeans

A succulent subshrub from the arid highlands of central and southwestern Mexico, with plump, water-storing leaves that let it endure long dry spells. Grow it in gritty, fast-draining mix and give it the brightest spot you can, ideally direct sun. Water deeply but infrequently, only once the mix has dried out completely and the leaves begin to look slightly less firm — this plant rots far more easily than it goes thirsty.

Sedum praealtum

Greater Mexican-Stonecrop

A succulent subshrub from central and eastern Mexico, Sedum praealtum stores water in its fleshy leaves and stems and is built for bright, dry conditions with gritty, fast-draining soil. Give it the brightest spot you can, ideally direct sun, and water deeply only once the soil has dried out completely — wait until the leaves feel slightly less firm or the top of the mix is bone dry. It rots quickly if kept moist, so err toward under-watering.

Sedum luteoviride

A succulent subshrub from northeastern Mexico, this Sedum stores water in its fleshy leaves and is built for arid, sun-exposed conditions. Give it gritty, fast-draining mix and bright direct light, and water deeply only when the soil has dried out completely — when the top inch or two is fully dry and the lower leaves feel slightly soft. It rots quickly if left sitting in damp soil, so err toward dryness.

Sedum griseum

Sedum griseum is a succulent subshrub from arid northeastern and southwestern Mexico, storing water in its fleshy leaves. It wants gritty, fast-draining mix and bright direct light, and rots if left sitting in moisture. Water deeply but infrequently, only once the soil has dried out completely and the lower leaves begin to feel slightly soft.

Sedum japonicum

Rocky Moss-rose Stonecrop

Sedum japonicum is a low succulent subshrub from East Asia, storing water in its fleshy leaves and rotting if kept wet. Give it gritty, fast-draining mix and plenty of bright light, ideally some direct sun. Water deeply only once the soil has dried fully through; if the leaves stay plump it can wait longer.

Sedum kimnachii

Lesser Mexican-Stonecrop

A succulent subshrub from central Mexico, Sedum kimnachii stores water in its fleshy leaves and is adapted to bright, dry conditions with sharp drainage. Give it the brightest spot you have, ideally several hours of direct sun, and a gritty, fast-draining mix. Water deeply only once the soil has dried out completely, when the leaves begin to feel slightly soft rather than firm; it rots far more easily than it goes thirsty.

Sedum pallidum

Turkish Stonecrop

A succulent annual or subshrub from rocky, sun-exposed slopes across the eastern Mediterranean, Anatolia, and the Caucasus, storing water in its fleshy leaves. Give it gritty, fast-draining mix and the brightest light you can offer; let the soil dry out fully and water only when the leaves feel slightly soft and the mix is dry several inches down. It tolerates dry air and rots if kept wet.

Sedum potosinum

A succulent subshrub from arid northeastern Mexico, with fleshy leaves that store water against drought. Give it a gritty, fast-draining mix and bright light, and water deeply but infrequently — only once the soil has dried completely through the pot. Its leaves will firm up after a soak and soften or wrinkle when genuinely thirsty.

Sedum tetractinum

Chinese Sedum

Sedum tetractinum is a low, spreading succulent subshrub from southeast China, storing water in its rounded, fleshy leaves and resenting wet feet. Grow it in gritty, fast-draining mix in bright light to some direct sun, and water deeply only when the soil has dried completely through the pot. When in doubt, wait — this plant recovers from thirst far more readily than from rot.