Stonecrop 'Blue'
Stonecrop 'Blue'

Multi Buy

Size Guide
3.5
3.5" Perennial
3 or more $6.00 ea
Regularly: $6.99 ea

Stonecrop 'Blue'

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$3.50
Title

Inject an ultra-modern, architectural texture into your landscape with this spectacular succulent groundcover. It forms a dense, low-growing carpet of fleshy, needle-like leaves that mimic the look of miniature spruce branches or soft sea coral. Shimmering with an icy, powder-blue metallic glaze, the foliage creates a cool, high-contrast backdrop that pops dramatically against darker soils and stones. In mid-summer, this frosty blue mat undergoes a beautiful transformation as upright stems rise to support massive, flat-headed clusters of starburst golden blossoms.
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Plant Details

Mature Size:

4" H x 18" W

Zone:

3-9

Watering:

Low

Type:

Herbaceous Evergreen Perennial

Growth Rate:

Fast

Light:

Full Sun

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Blue Stonecrop, Blue Spruce Sedum, Reflexed Stonecrop, Prickly Madwort, Jenny's Stonecrop

Scientific Name:

Sedum reflexum 'Blue'

Type:

Spiller / Groundcover / Succulent

Growth Details:

Mature Size: Grows 3 to 6 inches tall (foliage stays under 4 inches) with a creeping, mat-forming spread of 12 to 24 inches.

Growth Habit: Prostrate, carpet-like, and creeping.

Form: Low-profile, dense succulent mat.

Growth Rate: Fast.

Flowering: Profuse, flat-topped terminal clusters of small, star-shaped blossoms.

Flowering Time: Mid-summer to late summer (Typically June to August).

Flower Colour: Bright, vibrant golden-yellow.

Environmental Needs:

Exposure: Full sun.

Soil Preferences: Poor, gritty, sandy, or rocky soils with rapid, sharp drainage.

Soil Tolerance: Exceptional tolerance for nutrient-depleted gravel, shallow dirt, and salt-heavy roadside soils; completely intolerant of soggy, waterlogged winter clay.

Watering: Low. Allow the soil to dry out completely between watering sessions.

Container Role: Performs as a spectacular, cascading Spiller or unique, highly texturized Filler in shallow alpine troughs, rock planters, and patio pots.

Special Features:

Disease Resistances: Highly resistant to powdery mildew, pests, and leaf spots; vulnerable only to root rot if overwatered.

Native Species: No (Native to mountainous and rocky regions of Europe).

Fast Growing: Yes (Quickly establishes dense carpets).

Attracts: Highly alluring to wild honeybees, bumblebees, butterflies, and beneficial summer pollinators.

Uses: Water-wise groundcover, rockeries, path borders, retaining walls, green roofs, and alpine patio pots.

Resistance: Highly deer-resistant and rabbit-resistant due to the tough, fluid-filled texture of its succulent foliage. Exceptional drought, heat, and frost tolerance.

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

Bloom Information: Highly showy flowers open wide on sunny days, creating a spectacular "gold over blue" color contrast for weeks.

Fall Colour: The icy blue leaves take on a gorgeous, dramatic touch of pink, amber, or purplish-bronze as temperatures plummet in autumn and winter.

Garden Value:

Ornamental Interest: Crystalline, light-reflecting powder-blue succulent foliage topped with highly showy, contrasting golden-yellow flower heads.

Landscaping Uses: Ideal for modern rock gardens, xeriscaping, steep sunny banks prone to erosion, filling gaps in dry-stone walls, green roofs, and firescaping.

Garden / Landscape Benefits: Forms an impenetrable, water-wise weed barrier that thrives in punishing heat zones where traditional groundcovers wilt.

Wildlife & Human Value:

Wildlife Value: Provides vital mid-summer nectar and hydration reserves for wild insect pollinators in dry environments.

Human Value: An essential component for modern xeriscaping and low-maintenance landscaping that offers dramatic curb appeal with zero irrigation demands.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

Best Time To Plant: Early spring after hard freezes pass, or early autumn.

Spacing: Space individual starts 12 to 18 inches apart to allow the creeping stems room to root and knit together cleanly.

Location Tips: Select elevated positions, rocky inclines, or raised beds to guarantee moisture runs away from the roots quickly during cold winter months.

Companion Plants: Pairs beautifully with other succulent varieties like Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum), purple creeping Thyme, dark pink Dianthus 'Brilliant', and low-growing alpine Bellflowers.

Care:

Light Requirements: Demands absolute full sun to maintain its rich blue metallic coloration and keep the succulent stems tightly branched and compact.

Moisture Requirements: Exceptionally low; requires minimal watering only during extreme, extended summer droughts once established.

Maintenance, Fertilization: Low-maintenance. Snip off the spent golden flower stalks in late summer to keep the underlying blue foliage mat neat and uniform. Never apply heavy compost or synthetic fertilizers, as rich nutrients cause the stems to stretch and lose their tidy habit.

Tolerances:

Exceptional tolerance for intense summer heat, severe drought, poor or rocky soils, high winds, road salt, and browsing wildlife.

Tips For Success:

Thinning / Pinching: Not required, but stems can be trimmed easily if they creep past their designated boundaries. Broken pieces can simply be pressed into dry soil to root into new plants immediately.

Support / Staking: Completely unnecessary; hugs the ground contour tightly.

Special Needs: Absolute drainage is mandatory. Wet winter soil is fatal to this plant.

Mulching: Mulch strictly with pea gravel, coarse sand, or chicken grit to prevent moisture retention against the crown. Avoid organic bark mulches.

Winter Protection: None required; its alpine evergreen genetics allow it to survive sub-zero, snow-covered winters without taking any damage.