Sea Urchin Sedum lineare

Carpet Sedum is low maintenance, sun-loving, evergreen succulent that will thrive where other plants do not.  It is native to parts of eastern Asia, with its name coming from the Latin word sedeo, meaning to sit, and lineare meaning linear, because of the narrow leaves of the plant.  Sedums are often referred to as Stonecrops because they are often found growing wild in rocky or stony areas.  This is a tough drought and heat resistant plant that 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.  Carpet Sedum will grow 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. 

Because of its limited need for soil, and its roots lack of penetrating ability, Carpet Sedum is proposed as an ideal plant for growing on flat-roofed buildings in Shanghai, China to create a green roof.

Carpet Sedum propagates any time easily by division, stem cutting, or layering.  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.  Carpet Sedum will naturally propagate by seed.  

As a bonus, Carpet Sedum has a tiny yellow bloom in late spring to early summer that attracts pollinators, and it is resistant to most undesirable wildlife.  Watch for slugs, snails, and scale, but they are not considered problematic.

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.