Polk County Master Gardeners
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Sedum
Every garden needs a few plants that will survive almost any circumstances,
and the Sedum group fits the bill very well.
They range from tiny mats only a few inches tall to plants that easily reach
2 feet high and spread. They are herbaceous perennials with succulent green
leaves. Different varieties have widely varying flowers. One that does well here
(although most of them are definitely in the survivor class) is Autumn Joy. It
has clumps of fleshy leaves and large flat heads of pink flowers in summer.
Autumn Joy is one of the larger Sedums and will grow about 2 feet high.
Sedums make fine edging plants, and they are at home in rock gardens, on
slopes, or in containers. The smaller varieties make lovely ground covers. Their
primary need is for full sun. They will tolerate a wide range of soil acidity;
they do well on poor, dry sites; they seem to thrive on neglect. Best of all,
very few pests or diseases bother them.
Sedums are easily propagated - they often root from fallen leaves or broken
branches. Clumps can be divided and replanted any time during the growing
season.
So if you are spending an inordinate amount of time nursing your garden
stars, you might want to give some thought to adding a few plants that will
quietly make your garden beautiful almost in spite of what you do.
By Barbara M. Tobias
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