The rather unspectacular flowering of tasteless stonecrop is compensated by the dense leaf cushions, which grow even in difficult locations and remain present over winter.
Profile of tasteless stonecrop:
Scientific name: Sedum sexangulare
Plant family: stonecrop family (Crassulaceae)
Other names: six-sided stonecrop
Sowing time:
Planting time: spring to autumn
Flowering period: June to August
Location: sunny
Soil quality: stony to sandy, calcipholous, low in nutrients
These information are for temperate climate!
Use in: ground cover, single position, group planting, planters, dry stone walls, roof garden, natural garden, rock garden, potted garden
Winter hardiness: hardy, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6 (-20 °C / -5 °F)
Bee and insect friendly: Yes
Plant characteristics and classification of tasteless stonecrop
Plant order, origin and occurrence of tasteless stonecrop
Tasteless stonecrop is assigned to the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae). This species, which only occurs in the wild in Europe and belongs to the genus Sedum, prefers dry grassland, pine forests or rocky slopes, from plains to altitudes of about 2,000 meters (6,500 ft). One can find it quite frequently in the wild.
Characteristics of tasteless stonecrop
Plant
The tasteless stonecrop grows flat, only 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 in)high, and well twice as wide, dense, but not proliferating. This makes it an ideal ground cover, especially since the leaves are wintergreen and the plants are therefore attractive even in the cold season. The plants are hardy and perennial. Sedum sexangulare can be confused with the at first sight very similar goldmoss stonecrop (Sedum acre). However, they differ in the position of the leaves – in Sedum acre they are close together – and in the taste – Sedum acre tastes burning hot and can even cause blisters on the skin.
Leaves
The small, 3 to 7 millimeters long and a good 1 millimeter wide leaves are fleshy thickened. They sit alternately and protrude from the flat lying shoots. Flowerless stems are more densely foliated and appear cylindrical. They are also edible, at least in small quantities, for example as an addition to salads, although they contain a low concentration of poisonous alkaloids. Tasteless stonecrop tastes mild and not bitter like other sedum species.
Blossoms
The hermaphroditic yellow flowers appear between June and August on four to six shorter shoots, which sit at the end of the flowering shoots. They consist of five to six petals, each about 5 mm wide and pointy petals, which open wide. In the middle, the stamens sit in two circles, the ovary is exposed. The flowers of Sedum sexangulare are popular with bees and other insects.
Fruit
The fruits are follicle fruits from five pods, which contain plenty of seeds.
Tasteless stonecrop – cultivation and care
Location
Sunny and dry places are ideal.
Soil
The plant needs a sandy to stony and calcareous soil.
Planting
Tasteless stonecrop works best in small groups up to larger groups covering the whole area. Potted plants can be planted from spring to autumn, the planting distance should be 20 centimeters (8 in).
Care / Watering / Fertilization
The perennials are very undemanding and easy to care for, do not need to be watered, fertilized or regularly divided.
Propagation
One receives new plants quite simply by separating shoots and putting them back into sandy soil. Until roots have formed, one should water a little more than with already established specimens.
Diseases and pests
With Sedum sexangulare there are no problems with plant diseases and pests.
Wintering
Tasteless stonecrop is hardy down to -20 °C / -5 °F.
Use in the garden
Tasteless stonecrop fits wonderfully in steppe beds, stone and gravel gardens, in wall cracks and stone joints and is the perfect solution for problematic dry locations. The sedum is also used for extensive roof greening or as a lawn replacement. For combining in the garden, for example, Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana), Mediterranean sea holly (Eryngium bourgatii), Turkestan onion (Allium karataviense), St Bernard’s lily (Anthericum liliago), dwarf feathergrass (Stipa capillata) as well as spring-flowering bulbous flowers are suitable.
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