Gardening Flowers Perennials 17 Best Sedum Plants That Will Look Gorgeous Through Heat and Cold These varieties of sedum offer many colors and sizes to suit your garden. By Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on May 23, 2023 Reviewed by David McKinney Reviewed by David McKinney David McKinney is an experienced plantsman sharing his expertise in horticulture. His knowledge spans landscape management, growing plants indoors and in the greenhouse, ecological plant selection, and much more. With nearly 15 years in the industry, he is well versed in both herbaceous and woody plants with additional interest in entomology. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Peter Krumhardt Conserve water in the garden with beautiful sedums, also known as stonecrops. These drought-tolerant plants are available in myriad shapes, colors, and sizes. Whether you're looking for a creeping type of sedum as a groundcover or for an upright sedum known for attracting bees and butterflies, these sedum varieties offer the best leaf colors, flowers, and forms. 11 Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Ideas That Save Water and Look Amazing 01 of 17 Sedum 'Purple Emperor' Richard Hirneisen Hybrid perennial sedum 'Purple Emperor' has dark purple, fleshy foliage crowned by clusters of tiny, star-like pink flowers in summer. Bees, butterflies, and a host of buzzing insects are attracted to its flowers, which grow upright to slightly spreading clumps from summer to fall. Name: Sedum 'Purple Emperor' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 15 inches tall Zones: 3-7 02 of 17 Showy Stonecrop Jason Wilde Hailing from Japan, showy stonecrop offers purple-edged, blue-green leaves and pinkish-purple flowers in late summer. This prolific bloomer looks great on its own or as a groundcover under taller sun-loving perennials. Name: Sedum cauticola Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 4 inches tall Zones: 5-9 33 Colorful Groundcover Plants for a Low-Maintenance Garden 03 of 17 Moss Stonecrop Andy Lyons A low-growing evergreen plant, moss stonecrop has dark green, finely textured leaves accented by yellow flowers in summer. This carpet-forming perennial works as a walkable groundcover that can withstand light foot traffic. Try it along border fronts, rock gardens, walkways, or atop rock walls. Name: Sedum acre Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 3 inches tall Zones: 3-8 04 of 17 Sedum 'Ogon' Jason Wilde Favored for its bright gold foliage, 'Ogon' is an especially eye-catching and easy-to-grow spreading groundcover. Tiny yellow-green flowers appear in summer but take a backseat to the foliage. Add this plant to your succulent container garden, where its small leaves will look beautiful spilling over the sides. Name: Sedum makinoi 'Ogon' Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 2 inches tall Zones: 6-9 05 of 17 Sedum 'Frosty Morn' Jeff McNamara A showy variegated sedum variety, 'Frosty Morn' has tall stems and large, spoon-shaped leaves. Its sage green foliage with white borders makes this plant a must-try, eye-catching addition to borders or containers. It blooms in late summer to early fall with clusters of beautiful pink and white flowers. Name: Sedum erythrostictum 'Frosty Morn' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 12 inches tall Zone: 3-9 What Is Considered "Full Sun?" 06 of 17 Broadleaf Stonecrop Mike Jensen A vigorous, sprawling plant, broadleaf stonecrop grows relatively quickly and smothers weeds in its path. It offers silvery foliage and yellow flowers in summer. You can easily add this plant to your rock garden because it's a native succulent to the face of cliffs in northern California. Name: Sedum spathulifolium Growing Conditions: Sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 4 inches tall Zones: 5-9 07 of 17 October Daphne Stonecrop Peter Krumhardt Finely textured October Daphne sedum offers blue-green leaves that are edged with a deep pink line. Bees and butterflies love its pink flowers, making this species perfect for pollinator gardens. Name: Sedum sieboldii Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 12 inches tall Zones: 3-9 Create a Beautiful Butterfly Garden with These Plants 08 of 17 Sedum kamtschaticum Jerry Pavia Despite its long name, Sedum kamtschaticum from Siberia is a plant well worth knowing. It's a beautiful groundcover with deep green leaves and golden-yellow flowers in late summer. This plant needs as much sun as you can give it. Brighter light intensities bring out deeper colors in the leaves and promote better flowering. Name: Sedum kamtschaticum Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 6 inches tall Zones: 3-8 09 of 17 Sedum 'Vera Jameson' Peter Krumhardt A clump-forming sedum variety, 'Vera Jameson' mixes well in almost any garden plan, thanks to its purple foliage and pink flowers that add tons of color and texture to the garden all season. Name: Sedum 'Vera Jameson' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 12 inches tall Zones: 3-9 10 of 17 Sedum 'Angelina' Peter Krumhardt An easy-care groundcover that always makes a statement despite its small size, 'Angelina' has bright golden foliage that turns a vibrant orange in fall. Star-shaped yellow flowers appear in the summer. This plant likes to drape over stone walls and makes the perfect addition to a succulent container garden or hanging basket. Name: Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 4 inches tall Zones: 5-8 11 of 17 Sedum 'Tricolor' Andy Lyons Add an extra dose of color to your rock garden or borders with 'Tricolor' sedum. Each green leaf is edged in pink and white. Tiny, star-shaped, pink flowers emerge in late spring to midsummer. Like most sedums, this eye-catching variety is easy to propagate from division and cuttings ,so you can enjoy more of it. Name: Sedum spurium 'Tricolor' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 6 inches tall Zones: 3-9 12 of 17 Dragon's Blood Sedum Peter Krumhardt One of the more popular sedum groundcovers, Dragon's Blood is evergreen and offers deep purple foliage that becomes entirely red by fall. Its pinkish-purple flowers bloom from midsummer into autumn. Consider planting it in border fronts, sloped areas, or containers. Name: Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 6 inches tall Zones: 4-9 13 of 17 Sedum grisebachii Peter Krumhardt A relatively uncommon species, Sedum grisebachii has very fine foliage and forms a low mat. The plant has a bristly appearance thanks to a distinctive translucent bump at the end of each leaf. It erupts in a mass of yellow blooms in the summer. Name: Sedum grisebachii Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 3 inches tall Zones: 4-10 14 of 17 Sedum 'Blue Spruce' Peter Krumhardt A silvery-blue hue and needle-like leaves make 'Blue Spruce' a standout sedum in border fronts or rock gardens. Its yellow star-shaped flowers emerge in the summer. This drought-resistant perennial is one of the few sedums that will thrive in clay soil. Name: Sedum 'Blue Spruce' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 9 inches tall Zones: 3-9 15 of 17 Autumn Joy Jerry Pavia A classic garden perennial, 'Autumn Joy' sedum will add color to your yard from spring to fall. Its large clusters of tiny, starry flowers emerge pink in late summer, drawing all kinds of pollinators. The blooms gradually change to deep rose-red and finally turn coppery-rust in autumn. The plant's gray-green succulent leaves look lush all summer. Name: Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 2 feet tall Zones: 3-9 16 of 17 Sedum 'John Creech' Peter Krumhardt Beloved for its small, finely textured foliage, 'John Creech' sedum can quickly form a dense mat of foliage with its creeping stems. Pink flowers appear above the foliage in the fall. It's commonly grown as a groundcover but can also be used in border fronts, stone wall pockets, slopes, edging, and containers. Name: Sedum spurium 'John Creech' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 2 inches tall Zones: 3-8 17 of 17 Sedum 'Elizabeth' Peter Krumhardt Usually grown as a groundcover, 'Elizabeth' sedum is a low-growing, sprawling plant with attractive foliage. Its red and green leaves turn deep burgundy in fall. Butterflies are attracted to its tiny, pinkish-red flowers that bloom throughout the summer. Name: Sedum spurium 'Elizabeth' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 6 inches tall Zones: 3-9 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit