Stonecrop (Sedum aizoon)

Features and Characteristics

Sedum aizoon, commonly called aizoon stonecrop, is a rhizomatous, tuberous-rooted, succulent, herbaceous perennial with upright usually branchless vertical stems rising to 12-20” tall with a spread to 24” wide. It is native from the Ural Mountains through Siberia to China where it is primarily found in rock crevices, ravine edges and scrubby areas.

Bristly stems are clad with alternate, sessile, flat but slightly reflexed, lanceolate to elliptic to ovate, succulent, bright green leaves (to 2-3” long) with irregularly toothed margins. Five-petaled, star-shaped, bright yellow flowers (to 1/2” across) bloom in flat terminal inflorescences (cymes to 3-4” wide) in summer (June-July).

Genus name comes from the Latin word sedeo meaning to sit in reference to the general growing habit of many of the sedums (they sit and sprawl over rocks).

Specific epithet from Greek means everliving in probable reference to the tendencies of most sedums to live eternally as rugged long-lasting plants.