Sedum 'Birthday Party'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SEE-dum
- Description
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Stonecrop 'Birthday Party' has a compact habit and large flower heads up to 5 inches wide. It can be grown as a houseplant, ground cover, or interiorscape or landscape. When grown outdoors, site it in an area where it will get full sun to part sun. They are easy to grow indoors with bright direct light from a window or grow light. Use a coarse, well-drained soil, preferably a cactus mix. The plant tolerates rocky and poor soils well, establishes itself quickly, and is cold tolerant. Sedum 'Birthday Party' are also deer and rabbit hardy. The succulent leaves make them drought and dry soil tolerant. They can be damaged by deer. Sedums withstand only light foot traffic. The leaves tend to fall off easily; however, the fallen leaves can be used to propagate new plants.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Slugs and snails. Avoid wet or poorly drained conditions. Taller sedum species with large flower heads are susceptible to flopping. Site in full sun and pinch back in spring to force thicker stems.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sedum
- Family:
- Crassulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Leaf Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia
- Distribution:
- Europe, Turkey, Northern Africa, North America
- Wildlife Value:
- Bees enjoy the nectar. Birds enjoy the seeds.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Edibility:
- The stems and leaves can be eaten raw when very young and tender. Later, until they flower, they may be eaten after briefly cooking. Not poisonous, but when eaten in quantity, can cause stomach upset.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 7 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Succulent
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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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:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit follicular, membranous or leathery, often surrounded by a persistent membranous corolla, opening on the adaxial side, Seeds mostly minute, usually with fleshy endosperm.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Deep rose-pink blossoms up to 5 inches wide with petals that initially are pale but darken over the season. Flowers begin as dense clusters, but over time, produce small pink star-shaped flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Glossy green foliage with a burgundy edge that grows darker over the season.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
- Stem Description:
- One foot tall stems topped by flower buds resembling broccoli.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Slope/Bank
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Poor Soil
