Culture
Easily grown in shallow, rocky, limestone to sandstone, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils of moderate to low fertility in full sun. Good tolerance for light shade. Also tolerates moist (not wet) soils with good drainage. Plants freely self-seed in optimal growing conditions. Unlike many of the other species of sedums, this species is not evergreen (foliage dies to the ground over winter).
Noteworthy Characteristics
Sedum aizoon, commonly called aizoon stonecrop, is a rhizomatous, tuberous-rooted, succulent, herbaceous perennial with upright usually branchless vertical stems rising to 12-20” tall with a spread to 24” wide. It is native from the Ural Mountains through Siberia to China where it is primarily found in rock crevices, ravine edges and scrubby areas.
Bristly stems are clad with alternate, sessile, flat but slightly reflexed, lanceolate to elliptic to ovate, succulent, bright green leaves (to 2-3” long) with irregularly toothed margins. Five-petaled, star-shaped, bright yellow flowers (to 1/2” across) bloom in flat terminal inflorescences (cymes to 3-4” wide) in summer (June-July).
Genus name comes from the Latin word sedeo meaning to sit in reference to the general growing habit of many of the sedums (they sit and sprawl over rocks).
Specific epithet from Greek means everliving in probable reference to the tendencies of most sedums to live eternally as rugged long-lasting plants.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for slugs and snails. Scale may occur.
Uses
Sunny border fronts or rock gardens. On rock walls. Ground cover. Best massed or in groups. Site in areas where both the foliage and flowers may be appreciated.