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Sedum crept up on me like Hosta's did. Well, what I mean is I didn't give them much notice or thought during my early gardening years. I was too focused on trying to grow roses, at which I failed miserably and other bright, showy plants that dazzled me with bright blossoms. I did have some sedum in my garden, because my Grandmother had them, as well as my Dad, and they were among the first plants they gave me when I had a garden of my own. So they were kind of like those sofas and lamps your relatives gave you when you were first starting out, you appreciated them, but also kind of wanted to get rid of them.

Anyone who's grown sedum knows that's not going to happen. Several years ago my garden group planted a cactus/succulent garden for a local horticultural college. This is when I started noticing sedum. Believe it or don't, sedum and some cactus do quite well in Michigan, and that was our point.

Also, I started having a garden party for my friends and relatives at the end of each summer. So, I also started looking for plants that bloom in August. Sedum are great at blooming in late summer to the first frost.

Sedum need sun, lots and lots of sun. They don't need a lot of water, as they use their puffy leaves to store it and wet soil will rot their little roots right off. Sandy soil or loam is best, clay will choke them to death.

There are many varieties if you search the web. I love the ground cover "Dragon's Blood" that are purplish-red that go with a similar colored, taller variety "Purple Emperor".
They come in white and green variegated leaves with white flowers, yellow flowers on green, pink on bluish-green. Be careful when planting the more aggressive "Basket of Gold' with some of the more colorful sedum, as the "Basket" will take over. They will reseed themselves and also take root easily. The groundcover sedum are great for sunny, sandy slopes or areas that dry out quickly or among rocks or gravel. Weeds do pop up in sedum beds, but it's not too much of a problem because they usually crowd them out quickly.

Clustered, tiny flowers form large heads on tall, slender stems in August and are wonderful for arrangements or dried for use in wreaths or dried flower bouquets.

I don't use fertilizer, but I do sprinkle sifted compost over them then mist it, so it washes down around the base. Mine seem happy with this.

Give sedum a try in those hot, hard to grow places. I think you'll enjoy them.

Learn more about this author, Pat Merewether.
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