North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Sedum ternatum

Sedum ternatum Michx.

woodland stonecrop, mountain stonecrop

Synonym(s): Clausenellia ternata

Image ID: 18761
Image by: Ware, Richard & Teresa
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: SETE3
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sedum ternatum
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2018-09-18

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: SEDUM
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Sedum
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Stonecrop
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of perhaps 200 species, depending on circumscription. There is considerable controversy about the circumscription of the genus Sedum. Diamorpha is usually separated, but Thiede & Eggli (2007) include it in Sedum; the separation of Rhodiola and Hylotelephium have been more controversial, but Thiede & Eggli (2007) place these in separate tribes from Sedum s.s. Other segregates which would affect the species treated below have been proposed, such as Chetyson, Clausenellia, and Spathulata (see synonymy).
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: Other species of Sedum are grown as ornamentals, especially in rock gardens; some are aggressive and rather weedy and can be expected eventually to become a naturalized part of our flora.
GENUS REFERENCES: Ohba in FNA (2009); Clausen (1975)=Z; Calie (1981)=Y; Thiede & Eggli in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007). [also see Diamorpha, Hylotelephium, and Rhodiola]

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: CRASSU
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Crassulaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.P. de Candolle 1825
FAMILY COMMON: Stonecrop Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 34-35 genera and 1100-1410 species, succulent shrubs and herbs, nearly cosmopolitan, but with centers of diversity in s. Africa and Mexico.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Moran in FNA (2009); Thiede & Eggli in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Mat-forming perennial with both prostrate and erect stems, found in moist forests, coves, bottomlands and on shaded rock outcrops.
STEMS: Nonflowering stems lie on ground but are turned up at the tip, where there is a rosette of whorled leaves; flowering stems erect; all stems fleshy and smooth.
LEAVES: Leaves alternate or in whorls of 3, oval to spoon-shaped with rounded tips, to 1 in. long, succulent and smooth.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers in a 2- to 4-forked terminal cluster; white; about 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 4 (sometimes 5) spreading, narrowly lance-shaped petals, 4 (5) sepals, 8 stamens with red anthers and a 4-parted ovary.
FRUITS: Fruit a small cluster of 4 erect-spreading, beaked capsules.
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 3-6 in.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Whorled
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION: Evergreen

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Radial (Actinomorphic)
BLOOM TIME: April-June

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: White

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x

FRUITING PERIOD: May-Jul.

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Bottomlands, Moist forests, Outcrops and glades
NATIVE RANGE: eastern United States

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Woodland stonecrop has 3-branched sprays of starry white flowers in late spring. Many pollinating insects are attracted to the nectar they produce. In the wild, it often grows in well-drained soil in deciduous woods and along stream banks. This perennial thrives best when it is planted on a slope. The foliage is evergreen. This adaptable southeastern native perennial makes an ideal groundcover for the shade garden. Try planting it on rocky outcrops or as an edging. It is especially pretty when it trails over rocks.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average, Moist/Wet, Well-drained
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 4
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
107	HORT	2012-04-01	Liloia	View
1959	HORT	2007-10-22	MacIntyre	View

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
106	2012-0079	2012-11-13	107	View
2127	1986-1931			View
2891	1987-0420			View
3349	1990-0220			View
5568	1995-0692			View
8052	2004-0060	2004-09-09		View
9237	2007-0427	2020-05-08	1959	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
182	106	18	Liloia	2012-08-16	View
183	106	15	Liloia	2012-06-19	View
184	106	19	Liloia	2012-06-19	View
3600	2127	80	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
4800	2891	8	NCBG staff	1978-10-24	View
5574	3349	142	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
5575	3349	9	NCBG staff	1989-11-11	View
5576	3349	27	NCBG staff	1989-11-20	View
8082	5568	204	NCBG staff	1993-01-01	View
11312	8052	187	NCBG staff	2006-02-28	View
11313	8052	132	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
11314	8052	71	NCBG staff	2007-02-02	View
11315	8052	80	NCBG staff	2007-02-02	View
11316	8052	27	NCBG staff	2003-11-05	View
12353	9237	166	MacIntyre	2007-10-22	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: SETE3
USDA Common Name: Woodland Stonecrop
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (I)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV), CAN (ON)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACU				FACU			FACU	FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sedum ternatum
COMMON NAME: Mountain Stonecrop
SYNONYMY: [= C, F, FNA, G, Il, K, Pa, RAB, S, Va, W, WV, Y, Z; = Clausenellia ternata (Linnaeus) A. & D. Löve]
PHENOLOGY: Apr-Jun; May-Jul.
HABITAT: Moist forests, coves, bottomlands, shaded rock outcrops.
COMMENTS: NJ west to IA and AR, south to nw. GA and AL.
RANGE MAP: Sedum ternatum.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Crassulaceae A.P. de Candolle 1825 (Stonecrop Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 34-35 genera and 1100-1410 species, succulent shrubs and herbs, nearly cosmopolitan, but with centers of diversity in s. Africa and Mexico.
REFERENCE: Moran in FNA (2009); Thiede & Eggli in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Sedum L. (Stonecrop)
SUMMARY: A genus of perhaps 200 species, depending on circumscription. There is considerable controversy about the circumscription of the genus Sedum. Diamorpha is usually separated, but Thiede & Eggli (2007) include it in Sedum; the separation of Rhodiola and Hylotelephium have been more controversial, but Thiede & Eggli (2007) place these in separate tribes from Sedum s.s. Other segregates which would affect the species treated below have been proposed, such as Chetyson, Clausenellia, and Spathulata (see synonymy).
REFERENCE: Ohba in FNA (2009); Clausen (1975)=Z; Calie (1981)=Y; Thiede & Eggli in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007). [also see Diamorpha, Hylotelephium, and Rhodiola]

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Sedum ternatum in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Sedum ternatum in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Sedum ternatum in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Sedum ternatum in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Sedum ternatum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Sedum ternatum

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 18761 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 18761 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 18761 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)