Saturday, February 7, 2009

We See-ed 'em, but I Didn't Seed 'em!

I know you're saying "Wha'?"
I'm just posting about Sedum. The common name is Stonecrop. Unfortunately I'm missing the names of a couple of the varieties. (I sure could use your help!)

The Crawlers:
Unless designated otherwise, these "crawlers" are right in front of the house, in my little rock garden type area.
The tag on this said 'Worm Grass.'
I've found it listed as Sedum Album. It is very small and has white flowers.
"Worm Grass" in bloom, next to a Moss Rose.
Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce'
Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood' on the left
Sedum Spurium 'John Creech'
I believe 'Dragon's Blood' is in the background.
This is NOT Worm Grass in the foreground.
This is much smaller than Worm Grass.
Can you help me with this, too??
(I think it has a tiny yellow flower.) The sedum below could have some height, if it stood up.
As it is, it just lies around, looking beautiful.
(It may be 'Bertram Anderson.' I planted B.A. in the front sunny bed
last Spring, but don't have photos of it yet.)This is 'Gold Carpet' Sedum. I planted this last summer in the front of the Sunny Corner Bed.
This is actually not my photo. If you click on this photo, it will take you to a site with a description of the plant. I purchased my plant locally. I hope it does well! :-)

This is the "Sunny Corner."
In the foreground, at left, is "Matrona." I'm very fond of this plant!
Mid-bed is a shorter plant called "Chablis."
In the back, to the left, is "Autumn Joy" and to the right is "Purple Emperor."
This is 'Matrona' close-up.

'Purple Emperor' stands in front of 'Autumn Joy' (hiding on the right).
This is 'Purple Emperor' up close and personal.
'Chablis' is interesting. In the Spring, half the 'Chablis' stems and leaves are pure white. They turn out to be variegated green and white (on the left). Can you tell there were two different types of blossom heads? This first photo shows them before they're in full bloom.
Interesting comparison, isn't it?
Here are the two close-up photos.

'Autumn Joy' in the backyard.
Right in front of the house, I have two taller varieties. I purchased the one on the left in Sheffield, IL (on US Highway 34) as I drove home from Michigan 1 1/2 years ago. The name tag must be hiding under the plant. I hope I can find it this Spring.

The second plant (on the right) is called 'Diamond Edge.'


name?
Can you help me?'Diamond Edge'
'Diamond Edge' taken from above. :-)

I really do like sedum! There are too many varieties, though. I think I have enough of them. ;-)

24 comments:

Nutty Gnome said...

Erm, have you been taking photos in my garden..?! After all, I do live near Sheffield!
I have just about all these sedum in the same colours - including the one with little yellow flowers on that I don't know the name of either!

Jan said...

I came here last night to write down a bunch of your selections from previous posts. I like your descriptions of everything. They help me with ideas and draw my attention to varieties (of just about everything!) that I didn't know about:)

...not sure I will be able to find them or even get them all but at least you've given me something to work with. I don't have 'all' shade (& I see that you don't either!) but a lot of shade there is--so you have been a great resource for me!

Lona said...

I have the Sedum Blue Spruce in some of my beds and I get really aggravated at it. It spreads like crazy and I am constantly jerking it up.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Lots of pretty varieties. I really like the Purple Emperor.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

"Worm grass" is not a very attractive name for such an attractive plant. I think my mystery Sedum might be 'Purple Emperor,' it looks a like like it. I wonder if your mystery Sedum isn't 'Becka,' which is sold under a different name, something like Autumn Light. I've decided to stick with the actual names and this is a plant I got last summer. The flowers of 'Becka' are pink.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Sorry, I was referring to the variegated mystery Sedum, not the creeping one. I have no idea what that is.

F Cameron said...

You have a wonderful garden collection of sedum! I'm so glad now that I planted Purple Emperior... maybe mine will look as good as yours this year (just planted in the fall).

Thanks!
Cameron

Unknown said...

Sedums are like potato chips, aren't they? We can't have just one...I have never heard one referred to as work grass before.

Anonymous said...

You DO like Sedums! After all these years gardening, I just planted my first sedum last fall ~ Matrona Stonecrop! but I am loving your Purple Emperor ~ there may be more in my future. Sorry I can't help with identification. I sure enjoyed looking at all of your different varieties tho. I definitely think I've been remiss in overlooking them.

Shady Gardener said...

Ruth, (!) Wouldn't that be taking quite a jaunt - from the state of Michigan to my home by way of the UK? ;-) I'm going to have to see if I can figure out what that little bitty sedum is called!

Jan, I'm so glad I can give you some inspiration!! I get so much from others (including you!) ;-)

Hocking Hills Gardener, I see you are a geneologist! Do you have any relatives in Iowa? Thanks for visiting. That sedum is quite prolific, isn't it? (I always cut off the spent flowers, as they don't add to the look of the garden at all!) :-)

Anonymous said...

Sedums are wonderful little creatures which can fill in every nanny and crook. I love 'em. Thanks for showing me a couple I hadn't seen before.~~Dee

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Dee, Have you done a post on your sedums? There certainly are a lot of them and it's hard not to pick up a few more... they're so carefree and independent! ;-)

Shady Gardener said...

Catherine, You would like 'Purple Emperor' if you had room!!

MMD, I will look up 'Becka." Your input is greatly appreciated! I nearly purchased 'Neon Light' (I think that's the right name) last Summer, but decided against it. Hmmm? Wonder why? ;-)

Cameron, I don't think a person can go wrong with Sedum! Remembering to allow any plant the room it needs can sometimes be a challenge. ;-) I hope your 'Purple Emperor' does well for you!!

Jodi, You are absolutely right! I like them even MORE than potato chips! ;-)

Kathleen, I hope your 'Matrona' does as well for you as mine has for me! I think it's astonishing!!

Gail said...

Shady, Isn't sedum a most excellent plant! It looks spectacular in your garden...especially the Matrona and Purple Emporer. It may be possible that one can't have enough of them! Thank you for this great post reminding to get more sedums....gail

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Gail, You're right. You can't have too many. ha. Do I remember correctly that Frances gave you 'Matrona' last year?

Anonymous said...

Glorious sedums! On the low, yellow sedum, I was thinking Sedum acre or Sedum sexangular 'Utah', but don't thing the foliage is quite the same.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Noogie noog noog! By which I mean, I also love sedum, any and all sedum. I can see dem right now because of the snow, and I didn't see 'em either, but someone did, and I'm glad!

Shady Gardener said...

Deb, I'm curious about the names you've provided. I must look them up. Aren't there so many varieties??

Monica, You are funny. I'm glad you like the sedum, too. I think they're one of the garden staples... they grow with little or no effort on my part! :-)

Pat said...

You have sun !!
Funny that some of the sedum is in sun when it does well in part shade.
Sure do miss the summer colors.
Thanks for this bright a cheery post.

Shady Gardener said...

Patsi, This garden is in the shade off and on during the day, but most especially towards the end of the day when oaks in neighboring yards offer lots of shade. :-) I call this my sunny corner bed because it's the bed that gets the Most sun! (Esp. after last August when we had a humongous canopy removed from our front yard.)

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I don't have many sedums, but your post made me want to get some. I put some small ones in those shallow pots, though.

Shady Gardener said...

Sue, Sedum are pretty easy to grow. I'm sure they were pretty in your pots! Did you know you can just cut stems, stick them in the ground, keep them moist and they'll root? :-)

Anonymous said...

I love your sedums. I've started quite a selection too and I'm wishing I would have gotten Purple Emperor - I will this year. I got Linda Windsor instead - she has the dark wine colored foliage too and the bloom is wine colored. Your little one called worm grass looks like one I have with the ticket in it that says Babys Tears (but I thought I saw it the other day called something else) and the bloom looks the same also - at least in the picture. I've been listing my sedums and have a picture of that one. If you can't tell I think I still have the larger picture I can send to you.
Love your blog and your plants are wonderful. I'm new here and I think I'll add you to keep an eye on - guess it's called following not keeping an eye on ya huh? ;-)

A rootdigger said...

You make them look extra good. I did not know the name of the Sedum that I have. I think it is same as yours. Nice blog.

If I find more time, cause I too am working on my little woodland, I shall keep an eye on your progress. Your more advanced than I.