Sedum spurium Little Gecko - Stonecrop

Sedum spurium 'Little Gecko' is a perennial groundcover with beautiful variegated foliage. Its multiple small semi-evergreen leaves are green, broadly edged with cream-yellow. Its long stems easily root in crevices and allow it to colonise dry areas. Its pink flowering, which can last from July to September, is 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).

'Little Gecko' has a spreading habit, 10cm (4in) high, which gradually extends up to 50cm (20in) with its stoloniferous stems. They bear small oval and spatulate leaves, which are slightly leathery and display toothed margins. This semi-evergreen foliage has very fresh shades: it seems evenly divided between green and cream-yellow. These nuances vary, like 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. Its flowering is charming and delicate. Its miniature corymb inflorescences consist of multiple star-shaped pink flowers, highly prized by insects that constantly forage on them.

This variegated stonecrop is an asset to bring light to every corner. Plant it along pathways, at the edge of a patio, at the foot of a wall, or in pots that you can move as you please. It combines easily with all rock plants, requires no maintenance, and colonises neglected spaces. It is suitable for establishing on green roofs. In beds, it forms a bright foreground that attracts the eye towards its neighbours or it can be placed under bushes (exposed to the south) to fill poor soils. It forms lovely associations with houseleeks, thymes, and saxifrages, for example.