Sedum lydium Glaucum - Stonecrop

Sedum lydium 'Glaucum', also known as Sedum hispanicum glaucum, is a small stonecrop with a very prostrate habit. It is particularly beautiful with its sculptural design, bluish colour tinged with mauve-pink, and dense spreading habit. Its stems, which develop close to the ground, bear compact rosettes of tiny fleshy leaves. Its vegetation follows the contours of the ground, filling in the gaps where it takes root. This small perennial is a jewel for rockeries, walls, and green roofs, as well as dry to arid areas lacking depth. It should always be in full sun.

Sedum lydium 'Glaucum' seems to be a selection with glaucous leaves derived from S. hispanicum (the Spanish stonecrop), native to mountainous regions of Eastern and Southern Europe. It is a very hardy plant belonging to the Crassulaceae family. The 'Glaucum' cultivar is a semi-stoloniferous plant with a spreading habit, reaching a height of 5cm (2in) and slowly spreading to a width of 40cm (16in). Its long fleshy and branching stems are capable of rooting on contact with the soil. They bear, on their upright tips, compact rosettes composed of multiple small cylindrical and tapered succulent leaves. This foliage persists throughout winter. It is bluish-green in colour, quickly turning greyish-blue. In summer, under intense sunlight and heat, the leaves take on mauve to pink hues. Cold temperatures can also affect the colour of the flowers. The more sun the plant receives and the poorer the soil, the more compact, thick, and colourful it will be. The flowering is rare and not very abundant in this variety. When it does occur, in July-August, it takes the form of small star-shaped flowers ranging from whitish to pink.

Stonecrops are proof that poor soil can provide a home to beautiful specimens with generous flowering. If your soil is not rich, rather dry, even rocky, or even slightly chalky, you can still benefit from these hardy perennials (they withstand temperatures below -15°C (5°F)). They require no maintenance and promise to enliven the garden with visits from butterflies. These succulents are easy to grow and have flowers and foliage in various shades that can create multiple palettes, whether in flower beds or containers. However, you can still grow them in rich, moist, and heavy substrate. They will acclimatise without any problems if you take care to add gravel. They should not be subjected to excess moisture in winter or be covered with dead leaves, as this may cause them to deteriorate.

Sedum lydium 'Glaucum', less invasive than S. acre, is valuable for adding colour to all sunny corners. Plant it along pathways, at the edge of a patio, on a wall, in a rockery, or in pots that you can move according to your desires. It combines easily with all rockery plants, requires no monitoring, and adds a sculptural touch to dry banks. It is suitable for green roofs as well. It will create a bright foreground that attracts attention under evergreen hedges (south-facing), where the soil is often poor, light, and dry.