Sedum dasyphyllum - Stonecrop

Sedum dasyphyllum, also called thick-leaved stonecrop, is a perennial succulent plant with tiny bluish-green opposite leaves arranged in very compact rosettes. It has a prostrate and carpeting habit, with stems that grow close to the ground, following the contours of the soil and filling in the gaps where it roots. In summer, small white star-shaped flowers appear on the plant. In winter, the foliage turns a lovely purple hue with the cold. This plant is ideal in dry conditions. Plant it in rockeries or to cover walls and green roofs. It prefers full sun and will grow in dry to arid areas lacking depth.

Sedum dasyphyllum belongs to the Crassulaceae family. Native to Western and Mediterranean Europe, it can be found in Europe in mountainous areas. S. dasyphyllum forms dense cushions, 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) in height. Compact, it spreads through underground suckers and colonises the soil until reaching 30cm (12in) in width. It produces small evergreen, bluish-green, succulent, fleshy leaves arranged in dense, opposite rosettes. The leaves become tinted with purple due to the winter cold. In June-July, its white star-shaped flowers, arranged in flat clusters, appear at the top of some stems, in a small loose floral spike.

Sedum dasyphyllum likes sun, well-draining and poor soils. Hardy, it can withstand -15°C (5°F) without any problem, as long as it is not overly watered by winter rains, as this can promote root rot. S. dasyphyllum, like all stonecrops, is a godsend for gardens with lean soil. It is magnificent in rock gardens, ideal as ground cover, or planted in the gaps between stones in walls. It also grows very well in troughs or pots. For rock gardens, plant it with grasses or contrast it with plants with purple foliage that tolerate the same growing conditions, such as houseleeks.