Hylotelephium cauticola
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Sedum cauticola
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-loh-te-LEH-fee-um kaw-tih-KOL-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
The word cauticola 'growing on cliffs' refers to the plants preferred habitat. A Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit winner, Hylotelephium cauticola is a succulent perennial herb with fleshy, flat or rounded leaves, greenish blue-gray in color. Its flowers are 4-5-parted, yellow, white, or red.
This mat forming plant should be grown in full sun. When insufficient sunlight is provided, the plant will produce weak, floppy growth. The soil should be allowed to dry out completely between watering. Growing in pots or containers is ideal. When grown in plastic containers rather than unglazed clay or terracotta, the soil may not dry out sufficiently enough to avoid root rot. Avoid heavy clay soils, as water retention by the soil can also cause root rot.
A succulent perennial herb that can be found growing in forests or natural areas as a native plant. It is also used as a houseplant or interiorscape or in the landscape as a herbaceous perennial.
This plant will spread by underground stolons. This low maintenance plant can be trimmed after flowering to maintain its shape.
It causes low toxicity if eaten. However, the stems and leaves, when very young and tender may be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious issues, Slugs, snails, mealybugs, vine weevil and root rot can be found.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:






- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hylotelephium
- Species:
- cauticola
- Family:
- Crassulaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Container plant
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan
- Wildlife Value:
- Bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects are attracted to the flowers.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Textural
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 4 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Horizontal
- Mounding
- Prostrate
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Fall is the time for its clusters of tiny pale purplish to pink flowers to bloom.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Orbicular
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Bluish grey leaves, heavily spotted with purple.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
- Stem Description:
- This mat forming plant will hae traillig stems.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heat