How Do You Care For Sedum Sexangulare?
How Do You Care For Sedum Sexangulare? Sedum Sexangulare, often known as tasteless stonecrop, is an evergreen, robust, thick, glabrous, mat-forming stonecrop native to Europe and southern Asia. It has escaped and naturalized in the upper Midwest (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio), New England, and Ontario. It normally develops to be 3-4″ tall (in bloom)…
How Do You Care For Sedum Sexangulare?
Sedum Sexangulare, often known as tasteless stonecrop, is an evergreen, robust, thick, glabrous, mat-forming stonecrop native to Europe and southern Asia.
It has escaped and naturalized in the upper Midwest (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio), New England, and Ontario.
It normally develops to be 3-4″ tall (in bloom) and 12-24″ broad. Six spiral rows of cylindrical, succulent, brilliant green leaves (1/4″ long) (Sexangulare from Latin means six-angled).
In the fall and winter, the leaves take on copper-bronze tones. In the summer, tiny, star-like, 5-petaled, bright yellow flowers appear in cymes just above the leaves (June to August).
The leaves of tasteless stonecrop have a relatively mild taste (as compared to the bitter Sedum acre leaves), therefore the popular name.
Tasteless stonecrop is also known as watch chain stonecrop because of its chain-like leaf look and six-row stonecrop because its leaves appear in six spiral rows.
The genus name originates from the Latin word sedeo, which means “to sit” and refers to the typical growth behavior of many sedums.
The plant is drought-tolerant and does not require much care. However, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your Sedum sexangulare plant remains healthy.
Sedum Sexangulare needs the following to thrive;
Sunlight Requirements
Sedum sexangulare is a succulent plant that requires a sunny location in order to thrive. The plant will do best in a location that receives full sun for the majority of the day.
However, the plant can also tolerate partial sun or filtered sun. If the Sedum sexangulare is in a location that receives filtered sun, you may want to provide it with some shade during the hottest part of the day (around noon).
Depending on the location that you have chosen for your Sedum sexangulare, it may be necessary to provide some shade. This can be accomplished by using shade cloth, shade netting, or another type of shade material.
Sedum sexangulare plant is an excellent choice for areas with the hot, full sun because it can withstand and thrive in such exposure.
Soil Requirements
This plant grows in rocky, sandy, or gravelly soils and prefers full sun to partial shade. It is tolerant of poor soil conditions and drought tolerant.
Sedum favors loose loamy, sandy, or gravelly soil with good drainage. When the soil absorbs too much water, as is often the case with thick wet clay soil, sedum roots can readily rot.
The best way to prevent this is to grow sedum in a location where it drains well, such as in a raised bed filled with porous materials such as sand, gravel, or decomposed granite.
If your Sedum sexangulare plant is currently growing in the ground and you suspect that the soil has poor drainage, you may want to dig up the plant, divide it into smaller clumps (if necessary) and replant it either in containers or a raised bed.
Water Requirements
Sedum is a succulent, which means it stores water in its leaves and stems.
When grown in containers or a raised bed, sedum requires little watering. You may not see the plant’s leaves wilt because of the small surface area of each leaf and the number of leaves per plant.
As long as the plant is not sitting in water, it will be fine.
For the best results, water your Sedum sexangulare plant only when the top of the soil becomes dry. You will know that this is the case if you stick your finger into the soil.
If it feels damp, do not water it. Once you are able to feel that the soil is dry about 1″ down, it’s time to water again.
Watering in the evening will help to avoid excess evaporation from sunlight as well as prevent accidental overwatering from heavy rain or sprinklers.
Sedums thrive on well-drained, gravelly soil that is dry in winter. Six-Sided Stonecrop tolerates drought well. Once planted, it requires minimal water.
Fertilization Requirements
While stonecrop is not particular about its fertilizer requirements, it does need some nutrients to thrive.
A basic, all-purpose fertilizer will provide the nutrients that stonecrop needs to grow and bloom.
However, if you want to encourage more vigorous growth or larger blooms, you can use a fertilizer with a higher concentration of nitrogen.
During the spring and summer seasons, fertilize once a month using a diluted liquid fertilizer or a slow-releasing nitrogen-based fertilizer.
During the winter, avoid fertilizing sedum. Instead, feed it monthly using a regular all-purpose fertilizer during the growing seasons.
Temperature Requirements
During the summer, it prefers temperatures ranging from 65°F to 75°F. Temperatures between 50°F and 55°F are ideal. It performs better in warm weather. Avoid leaving the plant outside in frigid conditions.
Temperatures as low as -30 to 30 °F (-34.4 to -1.1 °C), and USDA hardiness zones 4a to 9b, may be tolerated by S. sexangulare.
If the temperature is below this, it will slow down its growth and eventually die back.
The temperature of your Sedum sexangulare plant needs to be above freezing in order for it to bloom, so your Sedum sexangulare plant should be brought inside during cold spells.
Humidity Requirements
This plant prefers moderate to low humidity. Avoid placing the plant in areas where it will be exposed to excessive moisture and humidity, such as next to a swimming pool or near a bathroom.
Sedum sexangulare tolerates moist soil. Let the surface of the soil dry out between watering is recommended.
How Big Can Sedum Sexangulare Get?
Sedum sexangulare, sometimes known as tasteless stonecrop, is a succulent perennial and evergreen plant in the Sedum genus.
Its leaves are shorter and denser than those of Sedum acre. It got its binomial name (“six-angled”) from its distinctive six spirals of leaves.
- sexangulare grows to a height of approximately 15 cm (5 in) and is native to Europe and Asia, where it grows wild and is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant.
The plant requires moist or dry sandy soil and a sunny location. It has yellow, star-shaped flowers that attract bees and other insects throughout June and July.
How Do You Propagate Sedum Sexangulare?
Seed, stem cuttings, and leaf cuttings are all effective methods of propagating Sedum sexangulare.
Seed Propagation
Sedum Sexangulare can also be propagated by seed. To do this, take a few sedum seeds and place them in a small container.
Cover the seeds with water and wait until they germinate. Once the sedum seeds have germinated, water them regularly and fertilize them once a month.
Sedum Sexangulare can grow in a wide range of soil types but is best propagated in medium to moist soil.
Stem Cuttings Propagation
The Sedum sexangulare, or six-angled stonecrop, is a succulent plant that is easy to propagate from stem cuttings.
To propagate from stem cuttings, first, remove a healthy stem from the Sedum sexangulare plant.
Cut the stem into 2-3 inch sections, being sure to make a clean cut at the base of each section.
Next, dip the cut end of each stem section into a rooting hormone. Plant the stem cuttings in a well-draining potting mix, and water lightly.
Place the pot in a bright, sunny location, and wait for the Sedum sexangulare to root. It may take a few weeks for rooting to occur.
Once the Sedum sexangulare has rooted, transplant it into a larger container and continue to maintain it by watering when the top of the soil feels dry.
Leaf Cuttings Propagation
Leaf cuttings are an excellent way to propagate Sedum sexangulare. The easiest way is to take stem cuttings from healthy plants.
Make sure the cuttings are at least 1 inch long and make a 1-inch hole in the bottom of the stem with a clean sharp knife.
Remove the leaves from the stem, allow them to dry, and then insert the cutting into the soil. Maintain moist potting soil until the cutting begins to develop.
Once the roots have been established, transfer the jar of cuttings to a new container and water regularly.
Is Sedum Sexangulare Perennial?
Sedum sexangulare is a lovely, tiny, evergreen perennial, mat-forming succulent plant that can reach heights of 2-6 inches and spreads to 20 inches.
It has thick, short, succulent stems that branch at the bottom. It has six spiral rows of brilliant green, cylindrical, succulent leaves that take on copper-bronze tones in the fall and winter.
Sedum sexangulare blooms in summer with star-shaped, yellow flowers that attract bees and butterflies.
Although the plant is an excellent choice for ground cover, it can be quite invasive, so be sure to provide adequate spacing between plants.
Sedum sexangulare is a perennial that can improve your garden or landscape by providing colorful foliage and beautiful star-shaped flowers.
Is Sedum Sexangulare Edible?
Sedum sexangulare is a groundcover with thick, almost geometric stems of fleshy, light green leaves that is topped with pale yellow flowers.
Sedums thrive on well-drained, gravelly soil that is dry in winter. Six-Sided Stonecrop tolerates drought well. Once planted, it requires minimal water.
The tasteless stonecrop leaves have a very weak flavor, thus the popular moniker.
It is collected in the wild for local consumption. Sedum sexangulare leaves can be consumed fresh or cooked.
Is Sedum Sexangulare Easy To Care For?
Whether you are planting Sedum sexangulare in a garden or indoor container, it is an easy-to-care-for plant.
It thrives in dry, rocky soils and requires little watering once established. It can be placed in either sun or shade with equal success.
This fast-growing plant should be maintained away from slower alpine species that it may smother.
Also suitable for tubs and mixed containers. It is simple to propagate; simply cut off sections and place them in the ground.
A fantastic choice for a children’s garden! Excellent winter effect, creating a bronzy-green colour.