White stonecrop (Sedum album) is a flowering plant species that often grows in crevices or free-draining rocky soil. White stonecrop grows in temperate regions all over the world. It is adapted to grow in dry, thin soils and is often found growing on walls, dry banks, seashore rocks and in rocky meadows. This species grows low to the ground and cannot compete when there are other, fast-growing species in the same area.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Sedum album, the white stonecrop, is a flowering plant of the genus Sedum in the family Crassulaceae. It is found in the northern temperate regions of the world, often growing in crevices or free-draining rocky soil. As a long-day plant it grows vegetatively for most of the year and flowers in summer.
White stonecrop is a tufted perennial herb that forms mat-like stands. Much of the year the stems are short, semi prostrate and densely clad in leaves. At the flowering time in July and August, the stems lengthen and are erect, occasionally branched and often pinkish-brown. The leaves are alternate, fleshy and nearly cylindrical with a blunt, rounded tip. They are also sometimes tinged with pink, especially in drought-stressed plants. The starry flowers form a dense cyme. The calyx has five fleshy sepals fused at the base, the corolla consists of five regular white petals, there are ten stamens, a separate gynoecium and five pistils. The fruit is five united, many-seeded follicles.
White stonecrop is a low-growing plant that cannot compete with more vigorous fast-growing species. It is specially adapted for growing on thin dry soils and can be found on walls, dry banks, seashore rocks and in rocky meadows.
Sedum album is able to acclimate to its environment. It can switch between C3 carbon fixation and crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) depending on the availability of water. CAM saves water as the stomata on its leaves only open to allow CO2 to diffuse into the leaves at night when the temperature (and therefore evapotranspiration) is lower. Drought stressed plants are also more susceptible to photoinhibition which CAM may help to protect against.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Sedum album will tolerate partial shade (not full shade), but do best in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun per day). The higher the better in most cases, a minimum of 50000 lux. The plant requires high light to develop strong leaf coloration and will stretch badly under low light conditions. Low light levels can be offset with dry soil conditions, but only for a short period of time.
Temperature
White stonecrop can grow in USDA zone 3-8. The plant prefers the night temperatures of above 13 °C and day time temperature must be at least 18-21 °C. However, the hot days of summer will not be a problem and the temperature of 38 °C can still produce good quality plants. High temperatures and high humidity can create a lot of disease issues, so stay on the lookout.
The plant can tolerate freezing temperatures. When the temperature drops below 10 °C the plant start to go dormant. If you experiment with plants that are borderline resistant to freezing temperatures, or if you live in an area where the temperature frequently drops below freezing, then consider growing the plant in containers so you can move them indoors for protection from cold conditions.
Watering
White stonecrop are drought-tolerant but do need some water. They do their best with regular watering from spring through fall. Water thoroughly and wait for the soil to dry out before watering again. Young plant will need supplemental water for the first couple of weeks to establish roots. Established plants, as long as your area gets rain every couple of weeks at the least, shouldn’t need any extra watering. Avoid wetting the leaves, stems, and flowers when watering. In winter, water just enough to keep your plants from shriveling.
Soil
Sedum album can grow in pot, container or in garden with loose loamy, sandy, or gravelly soil with sharp drainage. Unglazed clay or terra cotta containers dry out more quickly than glazed pottery or plastic pots. When the soil retains too much water, as is often the case with a heavy wet clay soil, this can easily lead to root rot for the plant.
Fertilizing
Sedum album typically needs no supplemental fertilization and can tolerate nutrient-poor soil. In fact, if the soil is too rich, this can cause weak, leggy growth. If you have very poor soil, mixing some compost into it will generally be enough to give your plant a boost. Chemical fertilizer can lead to stretching and flopping.
Planting Instructions
When planting, add the hydrophobic layer to the flowerpot first, and then a small amount of soil of the planting layer. Then spread out the roots and put them in. Cover the root with planting soil slowly. Add the top decorative layer, and finally, water once. To plant in the garden, dig a pit 1.5-2 times the size of the root system first, and then follow the above steps.
In order to make it grow better and faster, or if the roots are too dense or unhealthy, it needs to be repotted. Repot in spring and fall. Before repotting, stop watering a few days in advance. Once the soil is dried, you can gently knock the pot outside. Or you can use a knife to separate the soil from the pot. Gently pull the plant up slightly to ease it out of the pot, and then follow the steps described above.
Though you can plant different colors of succulent plants together, avoid planting succulent plants with different growth habits together. Some succulents need water in the summer, while others don’t. If they are planted together, one will become sick due to excessive watering, while the other may wither due to insufficient water.
Pruning
White stonecrop don’t need deadheading (removing spent blooms), and they often look good even into winter. However, extreme heat and a lack of sunlight both can cause sedum plants to get a bit leggy. Cutting back the plants after they are done flowering can help to maintain their shape and encourage bushier, sturdier growth.
Propagation
Sedum album is very easy to propagate either by stem cuttings or division. For a stem cutting, take cuttings in spring when the plants are in the period of active growth, simply trim off a portion of stem from a healthy plant that’s roughly 3 to 6 inches long, and remove the leaves on the lower half. Then, plant the cut end in soil wherever you wish. These prolific stems often will send out roots even if they’re just lying on top of soil, but planting them will give them a better shot at healthy growth.
Each leaves could potentially become a new plant. Choose healthy leaves, remove them from the plant, and allow them to callus for several days. Place the leaves on a well-draining soil mix and keep the soil slightly moist. They should be well rooted after about 2 to 3 weeks, with new plantlets forming at the base.
To propagate by division, gently dig up a mature plant, and carefully pull apart the roots to separate it into sections. Then, simply replant the sections, making sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil line. Like the stem cuttings, divided sections also will typically be quick to take root.
Propagation with seeds is the slowest method. Spring or summer is the best time to sow the seeds. Use a well-draining soil mix. Sow the seeds on the soil surface and gently press them down. Keep the soil moist until seeds germinate. Provide a consistent temperature between 15-21 °C. The seeds usually start to germinate after 2 to 4 weeks.
Overwintering
Care needs to be taken to avoid overwatering and over-fertilizing any of these plants especially during the short days, lower light levels, and cooler conditions of winter.
Covering the plant with a layer of straw or placing a tent made from plastic or bed sheets over the plants can protect them from sudden freezing temperatures; don’t allow plastic to touch the plants, however. Remove any kind of covering as soon as the temperature warms.
Pests and Diseases
If over watered or overcrowded, the plant may be subject to infestation by scale insects and/or mealybugs. Slugs and snails may also be problematic outdoors. As with all succulents, overwatering, overcrowding and lack of good air circulation can lead to root and stem rot. To avoid these problems, be sure to give your plants plenty of space to grow and spread. Use an appropriate pesticide to deal with mealybugs and scale insects indoors. Outdoors, encourage natural predators, such as ladybugs and lacewings. Pickoff slugs and snails by hand. Thin plants to reduce hiding places and improve air circulation. Reduce watering to make the environment less welcoming to slugs and snails. Crushed eggshells and/or diatomaceous earth sprinkled on the ground around affected plants may discourage these gastropods.
III. Uses and Benefits
A popular choice for rock gardeners for its beauty and ease of care, the evergreen white stonecrop provides chunky and dense bunches of leaves adorned with adorable starry flowers. It looks excellent when grown between stepping stones, along borders, on rock walls, and even on green garden roofs. It is also grown en masse to form a groundcover.
Find Where to Buy the Best White Stonecrop (Sedum album)
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