Plant Care and Uses

Sedums, sempervivums and many of the other cold hardy succulents are excellent ornamentals that do well in diverse growing conditions and for gardeners with varying levels of skill. They are among the best first plants for children to grow.

While they are very tolerant, optimum results are achieved by planting in well-drained locations that receive full sun to partial shade. A partly shaded location is of special benefit in areas that experience intense summer heat. The addition of coarse sand, granite grit or other non-compacting aggregates to the planting area increases the rapidity of drainage and makes for healthier growth results. These plants are especially averse to a wet location in winter.

Application of a soluble fertilizer during periods of growth in the spring and early summer will result in noticeable increased foliage growth.

Irrigation is seldom necessary after initial establishment in their planting areas as these plants are naturally very adaptable to extended periods of drought. Nowadays, with the importance of water wise gardening coming to the forefront, these plants are ideal selections for the low maintenance home landscape.

Depending on the time of year, such as during active growth and winter dormancy, these plants take on varying subtle to intense color variations adding to the changing visual impact of these plant groups.

These plants have a number of ornamental garden uses. They are certainly naturals when it comes to use in a rock garden or alpine planting. For bare slopes with poor soil, they certainly fill the bill. Spectacular results have been achieved when they are used as crevice plants for dry laid stone walls. Successful as edging plants for walkways and front border accents in perennial plantings, they combine their textural qualities in amazing ways with adjacent plants. Trough gardens allow them to be planted in varied groupings using their array of foliage pattern and color as artistic design components. Containers of all sorts can be considered as long as the drainage requirement is maintained. Many have seen the wonderful plantings in old work shoes, a leaking teakettle or terra cotta strawberry jars. We have seen clever use of the smallest sorts as associated plants in bonsai creations. These often rare and unusual perennials can be found growing in many other creative situations limited only by the imagination of the gardener involved.

Uses

Landscape Hardy succulents are tremendous plants for general garden and landscape effects such as front of the border perennial garden accents as well as edging plants along walkways or at the perimeter of an outdoor living area like a patio. They evoke a sense of the romance of the past as everyone remembers their grandmother lovingly growing these in those heirloom gardens from days gone by.

Container Hardy succulents are excellent for container plantings where their tolerance to less than perfect conditions of fertility or moisture make them ideal if the gardener periodically overlooks these cultural aspects. Hypertufa containers like those made to simulate weathered English troughs are truly enhanced by their use in this type of container planting design. Strawberry jars make ideal display containers for including an array of these handsome clustering plants in one location.

Rock/Succulent Garden The textures, seasonal color variations as well as the bonus of flowers make these plants the perfect horticultural jewel box gems for inclusion in the well-drained landscape designs using rocks, boulders and assorted gravels both for aesthetics as well as excellent growing conditions. They are equally at home in the mixed perennial rock garden as well as a succulent garden where only these drought tolerant plants are used for the very rich design effects that can be achieved. With water-wise gardening coming to the forefront, this is indeed a very important series of plants to include in planting plans.

Topiary Low growing Sedums and Sempervivums are excellent choices for providing the living cover for wire topiary figures. They have excellent root systems, adapt to these trying growing conditions and can be planted tightly so as to create an immediate effect if the artist is not willing to wait for them to spread into complete coverage. Their congested, slow growth as well as the rich varieties in color and texture allows the designer to use these numerous plant types to the best creative advantage.

Green Roof An enviromentally friendly alternative to more traditional roof systems, green roofs often include hardy succulents as the living component of this construction system. These roofs are natural sponges that reduce water runoff. The plants, growing medium and roof systems filter out pollutants picked up by rainwater as it drops through the atmosphere. They reduce the reflective heat from a roof surface. This is especially important in heavily developed areas. The insulation value is beneficial in both hot and cold seasons. Many architects and governmental agencies are mandating the consideration of these roof types for new construction as well as major building renovations.