Carpet Sedum Sedum lineare 'Variegatum'

'Variegatum' is a cultivar low maintenance, sun-loving, herbaceous perennial, evergreen succulent that thrives where other plants often do not. 'Variegatum' is a fleshy plant with flat or rounded leaves and 4 to 5 parted flowers in yellow, white, or red. The parent plant is native to parts of eastern Asia, with its genus name coming from the Latin word sedeo, meaning to sit, and lineare meaning linear, because of the narrow leaves of the plant.  Sedums, in general, are a tough, drought and heat resistant plant often found growing wild in rocky or stony areas. Like most Sedums, 'Variegatum' can develop into a low growing mat-like ground cover, perfect for slopes, tight spots, embedded in or tumbling over walls, rock gardens, xeriscapes, and hanging baskets.  It grows in almost any well-drained soil, especially sandy to gravelly soils, and is well adapted to shallow and poor soil.  It will tolerate some shade but will grow more open and leggy. 

'Variegatum' can be propagated at any time by division, stem cutting, or layering; simply lay a leaf on the soil and roots will form where the leaf and soil meet, covering the leaf with a thin layer of soil will help keep it in place.  For stem cutting, just break off a stem and push into the soil, and to propagate into larger plants, dig up a section and replant. 

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.  

More information on Sedum lineare.