Sedum Lydium Flowers

Description

• Mature stonecrop is about 2 inches tall and 8 inches wide. It flowers white, star-shaped, broccolilike flowers in the summer and the green leaves turn a deep red color in the fall. The plant is both deer resistant and butterfly attractant. This hardy plant and can withstand extreme temperatures; it has been known to survive without physical damage in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Preferences

• This plant is drought-resistant and doesn't like to be watered often. The leaves will turn a lighter shade of green and the flowers will become unhealthy if it gets too much water. It prefers full sunlight in well-drained locations and thrives in sand, granite or other rocky soils.

Care

• Irrigation is key to this plant's health. Too much water is more likely to kill it than extreme temperatures. Cut back dead stalks every spring to keep the healthy stalks in optimal shape. Because stonecrop is a perennial flower, it will increase in mass gradually. Divide the plant after about three years to remove the older, less-healthy mass to ensure healthier, more vibrant flowers. Simply dig up the entire mass including the roots and carefully pull the healthier plants from the older ones. Replant the healthier plants back into the ground. Less mass means the plant's healthier roots can suck up more nutrients from the ground with less competition.

Alternate Planting

• If you live in a wet location or do not have dry soils, stonecrop plants grow well in certain containers. Clay strawberry pots will keep the soil warm and their vertical design will help it to remain fairly dry. Make sure to use a drier soil when growing these plants in containers to ensure the flowers remain bright and healthy during bloom season.