Two-row stonecrop

Sun

Full sun to light partial shade; flowering and leaf colour are strongest in sun.

Water

Low once established. Water new plants during dry spells; let the soil dry between waterings.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or rocky soil; tolerates poor soil and a broad pH range. Avoid waterlogged clay and persistently damp winter conditions.

Height

0.25-0.5 ft (0.08-0.15 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m), eventually wider where stems can root

Flowers

Summer; flat clusters of small, star-shaped pink to rose-red flowers, with white-flowered cultivars also available.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fleshy, flattened leaves grow in opposite pairs along creeping stems. Leaves have rounded, toothed tips and may be green, bronze, purple-red or variegated, depending on the cultivar; colour often deepens in cool weather.

Growth

Moderate to fast in suitable conditions

Care needed

Low

• Water regularly while roots establish, then water only during prolonged dry spells.
• Improve drainage before planting; use a raised bed or container if the ground stays wet.
• Avoid routine feeding and rich compost, which encourage loose, weak growth.
• Use a thin gravel mulch rather than moisture-retaining mulch around the stems.
• Lift and divide crowded or bare-centred patches in spring, and remove stems spreading into neighbouring plants.

Pruning. Trim back wandering stems in spring or after flowering to keep the mat within bounds. Remove dead or rotted growth in spring; spent flower stalks can be clipped off after bloom or left until spring.

Early spring

Remove winter-damaged stems and check for bare or rotting patches.

Spring

Plant or divide into freely draining soil, watering until established.

Late spring

Weed between spreading stems before the mat closes over.

Summer

Water established plants only during prolonged drought; check containers more often.

Late summer

Trim the edges after flowering and remove unwanted rooted stems.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the mat and keep drainage outlets clear before winter.

• Plant along sunny border edges to make a low carpet beside upright perennials.
• Tuck into rock gardens and broad crevices where the roots have soil but water drains quickly.
• Let stems trail over low retaining walls or the edges of shallow containers.
• Combine with low grasses, thyme and other hardy succulents in gravel gardens for contrasting leaf shapes.

Garden styles it suits: Dry gravel garden, Alpine rock garden, Desert / xeriscape, Low-maintenance, Small-space and Pollinator garden.

Plant it with: Creeping thyme, Hens-and-chicks, Blue fescue, Lavender, Sea thrift and Rock rose.

Wildlife: The open flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies and other small insects. It is not a native groundcover in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or Australia.

• Root and stem rot in wet soil: remove affected sections and replant healthy pieces in a sharply drained position.
• Sparse, floppy growth in shade or rich soil: move to a sunnier site and stop feeding.
• Slugs and snails damaging young growth: remove hiding places and use wildlife-conscious controls where needed.
• Unwanted spread into neighbouring plants: cut back the edges and lift rooted fragments before they establish.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No particular part is recognised as poisonous, but it is not a food plant; eating substantial amounts may cause digestive upset.

Where it spreads. Can spread aggressively by rooting stems and fragments. It has escaped cultivation in parts of the northeastern United States, including New England, and eastern Canada, sometimes spreading over rocky ground. Keep it away from natural rock outcrops and dispose of unwanted pieces so they cannot root.

• Orange stonecrop (Phedimus kamtschaticus)

  Usually forms more upright clumps, has mostly alternate rather than opposite leaves, and bears yellow to orange-yellow flowers.

• White stonecrop (Sedum album)

  Has much smaller, rounded to cylindrical leaves rather than broad, flattened, toothed leaves, and usually white flowers.

The common name refers to the opposite leaf pairs, which form two rows along the stems.

Propagation. Divide rooted sections in spring or take short, non-flowering stem cuttings in spring or summer. Root cuttings in gritty compost with light watering; use vegetative propagation to preserve cultivar colour.

Accepted botanical name

Phedimus spurius

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Iran, North Caucasus, Transcaucasus and Turkey.

Measured

Average height 10 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.