Herb: Caucasian Stonecrop


Latin name: Sedum spurium


Synonyms: Sedum ciliare, Sedum congestum, Sedum crenatum, Sedum dentatum, Sedum denticulatum, Sedum lazicum


Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrop Family)



Edible parts of Caucasian Stonecrop:

Leaves - raw or cooked. The leaves are thick and juicy but somewhat astringent and with a slight bitterness.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Rocks in moist regions in the middle and upper alpine zones.

Other uses of Caucasian Stonecrop:

Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position. It requires weeding for the first year or so.

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 Caucasian Stonecrop:

Rocks in moist regions in the middle and upper alpine zones.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Sedum spurium:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.