Herb: Pacific Stonecrop


Latin name: Sedum divergens


Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrop Family)



Medicinal use of Pacific Stonecrop:

The plant has been used in the treatment of piles and has been given to children as a laxative.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Rocky slopes in mountains. Alpine to sub-alpine rocky ledges, ridges and talus slopes.

Edible parts of Pacific Stonecrop:

Leaves - raw or cooked. The leaves are very small and round, looking rather like a small green berry. They have a crisp texture and were valued as a food by some North American Indian tribes who would eat them raw.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - surface sow in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If sufficient growth is made, it is possible to plant them out during the summer, otherwise keep them in a cold-frame or greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in early summer of the following year. Division is very easy and can be carried out at almost any time in the growing season, though is probably best done in spring or early summer. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation of Pacific Stonecrop:

Rocky slopes in mountains. Alpine to sub-alpine rocky ledges, ridges and talus slopes.

Known hazards of Sedum divergens:

Although not poisonous, if large quantities of this plant are eaten it can cause a stomach upset.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.