Sedum makinoi Ogon - Stonecrop

Sedum makinoi 'Ogon', or stonecrop, is a small perennial ground cover that has the advantage of colonising the most difficult terrains. Its long stems easily root in crevices and establish themselves in poor and dry soils, in the sun or in partial shade. It forms a dense and very bright carpet, with small round and shiny leaves, in golden yellow to chartreuse green. It is evergreen in mild climates. From July to August, it is topped with delicate yellow flowers, which are a boon for insects.

Stonecrops are proof that poor soil can grow beautiful specimens with generous flowering. You can benefit from hardy perennials if your soil is poor, rather dry, even rocky or slightly chalky. They resist temperatures below -15°C (5°F), require no maintenance, and promise to animate the garden with visits from butterflies. These succulents are easy to grow and have flowers and foliage with varied hues that can create dazzling displays, whether in beds or pots. On the other hand, you can also adopt them in rich, moist and heavy soil, by taking some necessary precautions. They will acclimatise without any problem if you take care to add gravel and place them in full sun. They should not be subjected to excess moisture in winter, nor covered with dead leaves (which could cause them to wither).

Sedum makinoi is a species native to Japan. The 'Ogon' variety has a spreading habit, 5 to 7cm (2 to 3in) tall, spreading over 20 to 30cm (8 to 12in), with its stoloniferous stems. They bear small flattened leaves arranged in rosettes. This foliage is a beautiful bright golden yellow in the sun. If you plant it in partial shade, it has a greener, chartreuse hue. These nuances vary, as with most of its cousins in the same genus, depending on climatic conditions: the amount of light and water will either lighten or intensify its colours. A fresh and delicate flowering emerges from the foliage. Its miniature inflorescences are made up of multiple star-shaped yellow flowers, highly prized by insects that constantly visit them. In very cold winters, the foliage is deciduous.

Sedum makinoi 'Ogon' is an asset for greening every corner of the garden. Plant it along paths, at the edge of a patio, at the base of a wall, or in pots that you can move as you wish. It combines easily with all rock plants, requires no maintenance, and colonises abandoned spaces. It is also suitable for green roofs. In flower beds, it creates a bright foreground that draws the eye to its neighbours. It can be placed under shrubs (exposed to the south) to fill poor soils. It forms beautiful associations with houseleeks, thymes, saxifrages, or with Aster ericoides f. prostratus 'Snow Flurry'.