Sedum Varieties: The Complete Guide to Every Type of Stonecrop, Including Blue Spruce
Sedum — stonecrop — is the succulent genus that does everything. Some species creep flat across gravel like a living carpet. Others stand three feet tall and carry broccoli-sized flower heads that butterflies mob in September. A few trail from hanging baskets in ropes of plump beads. And one, Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce', looks so convincingly like a miniature conifer that people bend down to touch it.
They share one wonderful quality: they are almost impossible to kill by neglect. Sedums are the plants you put in the spot where nothing else survives — the hot strip beside the driveway, the shallow soil over a rock ledge, the pot you forget to water for a month.
This guide covers 18 sedum varieties grouped by how you would actually use them, with a detailed section on 'Blue Spruce' since it is the variety people search for most, plus the care rules that apply across the genus.
Understanding Sedums: Two Groups That Matter
Before choosing varieties, know that sedums split into two functional groups with genuinely different behavior:
| Creeping / evergreen sedums | Upright / border sedums | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 2–8 inches | 12–36 inches |
| Habit | Spreading mats, trailing stems | Clumping upright stems |
| Winter behavior | Evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage | Die back to the ground; regrow each spring |
| Best for | Ground cover, rock gardens, green roofs, containers, walls | Perennial borders, cut flowers, pollinators |
| Botanical note | Still classed as Sedum | Many reclassified as Hylotelephium |
| Examples | 'Blue Spruce', 'Angelina', 'Dragon's Blood' | 'Autumn Joy', 'Matrona', 'Purple Emperor' |
Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce' — The Conifer Look-Alike
If you searched for this one specifically, here is everything worth knowing.
What it looks like: narrow needle-like blue-grey leaves, about half an inch long, arranged in dense spirals along creeping stems that lift at the tips. The overall effect is a spruce seedling that has been shrunk and flattened. It forms a loose mat 4–6 inches tall spreading 18–24 inches, and in early summer sends up 8-inch stems topped with clusters of bright yellow star-shaped flowers.
Names: sold as Sedum reflexum, Sedum rupestre 'Blue Spruce', blue stonecrop, or blue spruce stonecrop. All the same plant — the species was reclassified, so both Latin names circulate.
Where it excels: spilling over retaining walls, filling gaps between pavers, edging gravel paths, planted into green roofs and living walls, and as the trailing blue element in mixed succulent containers. The color contrast against dark stone or against golden 'Angelina' is genuinely striking.
| Requirement | 'Blue Spruce' wants |
|---|---|
| Light | Full sun — 6+ hours. Color fades to plain green in shade. |
| Soil | Lean, gritty, fast-draining. Poor soil produces better color than rich soil. |
| Water | Very little once established. Water deeply and infrequently; tolerates real drought. |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3–9. Evergreen in mild winters, bronzing in cold. |
| Fertilizer | None needed. Feeding causes floppy, weak growth. |
| Spread | Moderate — roots wherever stems touch soil, easy to pull back. |
Growing it indoors: possible but demanding, because it needs more direct sun than most windows deliver. Give it your brightest south-facing sill, a terracotta pot, gritty mix, and water only when completely dry. If stems stretch and the blue fades, it is asking for more light — our grow light guide covers supplementation.
Propagation could not be simpler: break off a stem, lay it on soil, and it roots within a couple of weeks. Even fallen leaves root themselves. This is the plant to use if you want to fill a large area for free.
Creeping and Trailing Sedum Varieties
1. Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'
The golden twin of 'Blue Spruce'. Identical needle-like form, but chartreuse-yellow foliage that turns coppery orange in cold weather. Four inches tall, spreading readily. Planted beside 'Blue Spruce' it creates one of the best color pairings in succulent gardening.
2. Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood'
Flat rounded scalloped leaves in deep bronze-red, deepening to burgundy in sun and cold, with rose-red summer flowers. Forms a tight 4-inch mat that spreads fast. The most reliable red-foliage ground cover sedum.
3. Sedum spurium 'Tricolor'
Same habit as 'Dragon's Blood' but with green leaves irregularly edged in cream and pink. Needs full sun to hold variegation. Slightly less vigorous.
4. Sedum album 'Coral Carpet'
Tiny bead-like green leaves on a dense 2–3 inch carpet that flushes coral-red in winter and drought. White flowers. Superb between stepping stones and one of the toughest green-roof plants available.
5. Sedum acre (goldmoss stonecrop)
Very fine bright green foliage forming a moss-like 2-inch mat, covered in yellow flowers in early summer. Extremely tough and extremely enthusiastic — it self-seeds and spreads aggressively, so use it where you want colonization, not in a tidy rock garden.
6. Sedum makinoi 'Ogon'
Small rounded golden leaves on a low creeping mat, unusually tolerant of part shade for a sedum. Excellent in containers and fairy gardens.
7. Sedum ternatum (woodland stonecrop)
A North American native and the exception to the sun rule: it grows happily in shade and moister soil, forming 4-inch mats of whorled green leaves with white spring flowers. The sedum for woodland edges.
8. Sedum morganianum (burro's tail, donkey tail)
The classic hanging-basket sedum. Long trailing stems, up to three feet, densely packed with plump blue-green overlapping leaves. Leaves detach at the slightest touch, so hang it where nothing brushes past. A houseplant rather than a garden plant in most climates. Browse our hanging plants collection and best trailing plants for companions.
9. Sedum burrito (baby burro's tail)
A shorter-leaved, rounder-beaded version of morganianum whose leaves hold on far better. If you have knocked leaves off a burro's tail one too many times, buy this instead.
10. Sedum sieboldii (October daphne)
Arching 8-inch stems of round blue-grey leaves edged in pink, arranged in neat trios, ending in dusty pink flower clusters in autumn. Dies back completely in winter and returns in spring. Beautiful cascading from a wall or pot.
11. Sedum nussbaumerianum (coppertone stonecrop)
Pointed fleshy leaves in warm apricot-orange to copper, brightest in strong sun, on short branching stems reaching 8 inches. One of the best orange succulents and a favorite in arrangements with echeverias.
12. Sedum adolphii 'Golden Glow'
Similar to coppertone but yellower, with red-tinged leaf edges. Fast, easy, and forgiving.
Upright Border Sedum Varieties
13. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Hylotelephium)
The most widely planted perennial sedum in the world. Thick grey-green stems reach 18–24 inches, topped with broad flower heads that open dusty pink in late summer, deepen to rust red, and dry to bronze that stands all winter. A magnet for bees and butterflies. Plant it in lean soil and full sun or the stems flop.
14. Sedum 'Matrona'
Similar structure to 'Autumn Joy' but with purple-flushed stems and grey-purple foliage, growing 24–30 inches, with soft pink flowers. Sturdier and less prone to flopping.
15. Sedum 'Purple Emperor'
Dark beetroot-purple foliage all season, 15–18 inches tall, topped with dusky pink flowers. The best dark-leaved upright sedum for contrast against silver or chartreuse planting.
16. Sedum 'Autumn Charm'
A variegated sport of 'Autumn Joy' with grey-green leaves broadly edged in cream, and pink flowers. Compact at 15 inches.
17. Sedum spectabile 'Brilliant'
Bright rose-pink flat flower heads over light green foliage, 18 inches tall. Earlier flowering than 'Autumn Joy' and a stronger pink.
18. Sedum 'Angelina's Teacup'
A newer hybrid combining upright form with golden needle foliage — a tidy 10-inch mound that behaves like a border plant but reads like a creeper. Useful in containers.
Sedum Comparison Chart
| Variety | Height | Foliage | Flower | Zones | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Blue Spruce' | 4–6 in | Blue-grey needles | Yellow, early summer | 3–9 | Ground cover, walls, containers |
| 'Angelina' | 4 in | Golden needles, orange in cold | Yellow | 3–9 | Color contrast, edging |
| 'Dragon's Blood' | 4 in | Bronze-red rounded | Rose-red | 3–9 | Red ground cover |
| 'Coral Carpet' | 2–3 in | Tiny green, coral in winter | White | 3–9 | Paving gaps, green roofs |
| Sedum acre | 2 in | Fine bright green | Yellow | 3–9 | Fast colonizing, gravel |
| Sedum ternatum | 4 in | Whorled green | White, spring | 4–8 | Shade and woodland |
| Burro's tail | Trails 2–3 ft | Plump blue-green beads | Pink, rare | 9–11 / indoors | Hanging baskets |
| Sedum sieboldii | 8 in | Round blue-grey, pink edge | Pink, autumn | 4–9 | Cascading from pots |
| Coppertone | 8 in | Apricot-copper | White | 9–11 / indoors | Arrangements, color |
| 'Autumn Joy' | 18–24 in | Grey-green fleshy | Pink to rust, late summer | 3–9 | Borders, pollinators |
| 'Matrona' | 24–30 in | Grey-purple | Soft pink | 3–9 | Back of border |
| 'Purple Emperor' | 15–18 in | Deep purple | Dusky pink | 4–9 | Dark foliage contrast |
How to Grow Sedums — Universal Care
Light. Full sun for nearly all varieties. Six hours minimum, more is better. In shade, creeping sedums stretch, lose their color, and become vulnerable to rot; upright varieties flop. The exceptions are Sedum ternatum and 'Ogon', which tolerate part shade.
Soil. Lean and sharply drained beats rich and fertile every time. Sedums evolved on rocky outcrops with almost no soil. Heavy clay is the one thing that reliably kills them — amend with grit or plant on a slope or raised bed. In containers, use cactus mix with extra perlite or pumice; see our soil guide.
Water. Deeply but rarely. Newly planted sedums need regular water for the first few weeks to establish; after that, most garden sedums survive on rainfall alone. In pots, water when the soil is completely dry — roughly every two to three weeks in summer, far less in winter. Our succulent watering guide gives seasonal rhythms.
Fertilizer. Almost never. Rich feeding produces soft, leggy growth and destroys the compact form and coloring you bought the plant for.
Pruning. Cut upright varieties to the ground in late winter, just before new shoots appear — leaving the dried flower heads through winter gives structure and feeds birds. For creepers, simply pull back or shear any stems that wander too far; every piece you remove is a cutting.
Propagation. The easiest of any plant family. Stem cuttings root in one to three weeks laid on soil. Individual leaves pressed onto damp mix form plantlets. Clumps of upright sedums can be divided in spring. See our succulent propagation guide.
Common Problems
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Mushy, translucent, blackening stems | Overwatering or poor drainage | Stop watering, improve drainage, take healthy cuttings and restart |
| Stretched, pale, sparse growth | Not enough sun | Relocate to full sun; cut back and let it regrow compact |
| Upright varieties flopping over | Too much shade, water, or fertilizer | Cut stems by half in early summer to force sturdier growth |
| Foliage color faded to plain green | Insufficient light or too much feeding | More sun, no fertilizer — color returns with stress |
| Chewed leaves, slime trails | Slugs and snails, especially on upright types | Grit or copper barriers; water in the morning, not evening |
| Sudden collapse of a whole patch | Crown rot in wet winter soil | Replant on a slope or raised bed with grit |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sedum reflexum the same as Sedum rupestre? Yes. The names are used interchangeably for 'Blue Spruce' following botanical reclassification.
Can sedums grow indoors? Trailing and tender species like burro's tail, coppertone, and 'Golden Glow' make excellent houseplants. Hardy garden creepers can be grown indoors but need a genuinely sunny window. See our sedum care guide for indoor specifics.
Are sedums invasive? Not invasive in a legal sense, but Sedum acre and some spreading species colonize enthusiastically. Plant them where spread is welcome.
Are sedums safe for pets? Most sedums are considered non-toxic or minimally toxic, though eating any succulent can upset a stomach. Check our pet-safe houseplants guide.
Do sedums come back every year? Yes in their hardiness range. Creepers stay evergreen or semi-evergreen; upright types die to the ground and reappear in spring.
What grows well with sedums? Anything sharing lean soil and sun: sempervivum, echeveria, crassula, ornamental grasses, and lavender.
Where to Start
If you want one sedum, make it 'Blue Spruce' for foliage or 'Autumn Joy' for flowers. If you want a planting that fills itself in, combine 'Blue Spruce', 'Angelina', and 'Dragon's Blood' — blue, gold, and red at three slightly different heights, spreading into each other over a single season, and asking for nothing but sun.
Explore our succulents collection, string plants, and outdoor plants, or read types of succulents for the wider picture.