Sedum anglicum
English stonecrop is an easily cultivated and beautiful flowering member of the Sedum genus, featuring pretty white to pink flowers on stems densely laden with plump, grayish-green, needle-like leaves.
As low-growing plants, Sedum anglicum forms dense mats of two to three inches tall and 12 inches wide, with flower stems of up to five inches.
Flowering starts in late spring or early summer and continues over the summer months, producing pretty, star-shaped flowers in creamy white to pale pink that are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
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Even the moisture-retentive leaves provide color, taking on vibrant tones of burgundy and scarlet as the growing season progresses.
The upright, creeping growth habit forms adorable, low cushions that are useful in mixed borders, rock gardens, flanking paths and sidewalks, or in pockets on rock walls, slopes, and gravel or sandy swaths where other plants fail.
Drought tolerant and cold hardy, English stonecrops are highly adaptable plants that are tolerant of a variety of conditions including poor, rocky soil, hot sun, and low moisture levels.
They’re also resistant to foraging herbivores like deer and rabbits.
Sedums are known and loved for their easy care and low maintenance and have only a few growing requirements for plants that flourish and spread readily.
You can learn more about stonecrop in our guide.
Are you looking for an outstanding succulent creeper or ground cover that doesn’t require babying? Then let’s dish the dirt on what’s needed for English stonecrop care!
Here’s a quick look at what’s ahead:
What Is English Stonecrop?
Native to Great Britain, the Iberian peninsula, and parts of northwestern Europe, English stonecrop is ideal as a plant-and-forget creeper.
These dainty, pint-sized succulents are wonderfully robust and hearty, and in their natural habitat grow on rocky slopes, sand dunes, and shingle banks, thriving in soils with low fertility.
A creeping variety, they root wherever the stems make contact with the soil and have a moderate growth rate, spreading out at a steady pace to fill in niches and pockets.
Once established, they’re also drought tolerant, which makes them an excellent choice as a ground cover or rockery plant in water-wise gardens and xeriscapes.
In truth, English stonecrop doesn’t need much help from the gardener – mine seem to flourish on bare rocks and salt spray, with perhaps the occasional dollop of otter poop!
But they’ll put on the best display of sparkling flowers, colorful foliage, and an ample spread when given the conditions they love.
English Stonecrop Propagation
You can quickly multiply your stock of English stonecrop because it’s readily propagated by division, seeds, and stem cuttings.
From Stem Cuttings
Take stem cuttings in spring, choosing the longest available stems and removing leaves from the lower half. S. anglicum is low growing, but stems of just two or three inches work fine for rooting.
Set the cut ends into small individual pots or trays filled with a starter soil mix and water lightly.
Place in a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade until plants are rooted, which should take two to three weeks, during which time, baby plantlets may start to form at the base.
Plant out in the garden when cuttings are six to eight weeks old and water lightly.
Alternatively, instead of starting the cuttings indoors, you can simply tuck the cut ends into little pockets of moist, well-draining soil in the garden, keeping the soil lightly moist until the roots are established.
By Division
To propagate by division, use a hand trowel or spade to gently lift out a mature clump.
Use your fingers to carefully pull apart plants and roots into separate and equal sized sections.
Replant each section so that the top of the root ball is just level with the soil line.
From Seed
Both stem cuttings and divisions root readily where they contact soil and become established quickly. Sowing seeds is the slowest propagation method.
To sow seeds, in spring or summer, sprinkle seeds over the top of a tray of lightly moist starter soil.
Press the seeds gently into the soil, but don’t cover them.
Place the tray in a location with bright light and temperatures of 60 to 70°F, keeping the soil lightly moist until seeds germinate in two to four weeks.
Allow the seedlings to root in the tray for a few more weeks before planting out into a prepared site or container.
How to Grow English Stonecrop
In their home habitat, S. anglicum favors dry, well-draining locations with rocky or sandy soil, such as beside coastal footpaths, rocky bluffs, the fringes of shingle beaches, sand dunes, stone wall pockets, and quarries.
These plants do well in a variety of soils, but prefer a growing medium with average nutrients, a gravely, loamy, or sandy texture, and a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
And they must be planted in a site with very good drainage.
Soils that contain a lot of clay, are compacted, or heavy in nature often create standing water – a big problem for succulents as it can quickly lead to issues like fungal disease and root rot.
If you want to grow English stonecrop in containers, you can plant them with a commercial potting mix created for succulents and cacti, but I find they don’t give the quick drainage these plants need to really thrive.
If you purchase a succulent blend, I suggest mixing in one or two parts of grit to give it the sharp edge needed for fast drainage. To add grit, use materials such as landscape sand, pea gravel, or stone chips.
Or you can easily create your own soil blend to give them exactly what they need!
I like to use a three-ingredient succulent soil recipe that has a base of nutrient dense organic matter like compost, sand or stone chips for drainage, plus some perlite for a porous, lofty texture.
It’s not overly rich, drains like magic, and doesn’t compact easily, making it a great blend for succulents, cacti, dracaena, many herbs, palms, and any xeriscape plantings.
Light Exposure
S. anglicum does best grown in full to part sun where the plants receive at least six hours of sunlight per day.
In low light conditions, the stems can stretch and become leggy, making them weak and easily broken – and flowering is reduced in light shade as well.
Plus, long hours of strong light is what’s needed for the eye-catching, red-toned leaf coloration.
Temperature Range
English stonecrop are happy in a wide temperature range and they boast both good cold hardiness and heat resistance.
Suitable for USDA growing Zones 5 to 9, active growth is most vigorous when overnight temperatures stay above 55°F and daytime temperatures reach at least 68°F.
But they’re also quite happy in heat as high as 100°F – as long as it’s not combined with high humidity. The combination of hot temperatures with high humidity can lead to problems such as crown rot.
These plants can also tolerate freezing temperatures and when the mercury drops below 50°F, they start to go dormant, although they’ll maintain their evergreen foliage over the winter months.
In areas outside of their hardiness range, consider planting them in containers that can be moved indoors for winter protection.
Fertilizers
S. anglicum typically needs no fertilization and flourishes in lean, nutrient-poor soils.
Stonecrop plants that are grown in overly rich soil or given fertilizers tend to become weak, with leggy growth and thin, delicate stems that are easily damaged or broken.
To keep plants compact with densely foliated, thick stems, avoid fertilizing entirely.
If the soil is very poor, you can add in one or two parts of compost, well-rotted manure, or worm castings when planting or as a top dressing in spring – this is typically all they’ll need for supplemental nutrients.
Water Needs
English stonecrop are highly drought tolerant plants once established and prefer dryish conditions.
However, for best results, they do need some water during the growing season.
To keep plants vibrantly healthy, established clumps can be watered every two to three weeks, allowing the soil to dry out thoroughly between applications.
New plantings require more frequent watering and the soil should be kept barely moist for two to three weeks after planting, or just long enough for the roots to become established.
In temperate regions, they won’t need any supplemental watering over winter as rainfall amounts are usually adequate.
But if your winters are very dry, water just enough to prevent the leaves from shriveling.
Container Care
With their colorful foliage and pretty flowers, English stonecrop also makes an attractive container plant that trails lightly over the edges of hanging baskets, planters, and pots.
For container growth, place in a full sun location and ensure your pots have drainage holes – these plants cannot abide wet soil. I like to cover the drainage holes with some broken pottery or pebbles to keep the water moving freely.
Fill containers with a well-draining soil blend and place plants with the top of the root ball at the soil surface. Firm gently in place and water lightly.
Allow the top two inches of soil to dry out between water applications.
Growing Tips
- For compact, dense mounds, grow in full sun, the plants can become a bit leggy with too much shade.
- They adapt to a range of soils but must have sharp drainage. Amend the soil with some landscape sand to improve drainage as needed.
- These tough little plants are drought tolerant once established but put on a better show with some regular moisture. In dry conditions, water every few weeks.
Pruning and Maintenance
Deadheading faded flowers isn’t necessary, although you may want to trim off the spent flower stems to maintain a tidy, mounded appearance.
And in certain situations, like extreme heat, low light, or if plants are fertilized, they can stretch and become gangly.
To cut back thin, lanky stems, trim lightly after flowering with clean, sharp shears, removing as much as one-half their overall length to maintain a uniform shape and to encourage bushy, robust growth.
Where to Buy
Sadly, the classic English stonecrop has been pushed to the back burner in favor of newer hybrids, but you can still find these quaint charmers in larger garden centers or ones that specialize in ground covers and rockery plants.
You might also find them at local botanical or community garden sales, and if your neighbor has a drift of stonecrop, be sure to ask for a pinch to propagate!
Managing Pests and Disease
Generally low maintenance, there are a few potential issues to watch for when growing English stonecrop.
Mealybugs and scale insects can infest overcrowded or overwatered clumps, leaving traces of sticky honeydew on the leaves that can attract sooty mold.
Treat with natural insecticides like neem oil or use predatory insects to control pests.
Bonide Neem Oil
If you need some neem oil, I recommend Bonide neem oil, available from Arbico Organics.
Allow plants to dry thoroughly between water applications and thin out infected areas to improve air circulation if needed.
Slimy trails and gnawed foliage indicates the presence of snails and slugs.
You can hand pick and destroy slugs in the evening or use diatomaceous earth sprinkled on the ground to discourage them.
Learn how to best manage slugs and snails in our guide.
Crown rot, root rot, and powdery mildew are fungal problems caused by overcrowding and overwatering.
To prevent fungal infections, provide your sedums with fast-draining soil, thin plants as needed to improve air circulation, and allow the soil to dry out between water applications.
Best Uses for English Stonecrop
A good choice for the novice gardener, English stonecrop readily establishes, has few pest and disease problems, and is easily maintained.
It’s also a highly versatile plant that can be used in a range of landscape settings and can be planted singly or massed into groupings for borders, beds, containers, and fairy or rock gardens.
As well as trailing lightly from containers and hanging baskets, English stonecrop is an ideal choice for use in rock gardens where the plants add texture and color as they scramble and spread, filling in the spaces between rocks.
Their quick spread makes them ideal for filling in gaps between stepping stones or pavers, or as an attractive ground cover for gravel or sandy patches, rocky slopes, and seaside gardens.
Highly drought tolerant once established, they’re also salt resistant and well-suited to dry, arid conditions, shining in any xeriscape setting.
And this particular sedum is now also being used for “green housing,” where it’s grown on rooftops to provide extra insulation from summer heat and winter cold as well as a buffer to sound pollution.
Quick Reference Growing Guide
| Plant Type: | Evergreen succulent | Flower / Foliage Color: | White to pale pink/green with scarlet tint in summer |
| Native to: | Great Britain, the Iberian peninsula, northwestern Europe | Tolerance: | Cold, drought, heat, salt spray, deer, rabbits |
| Hardiness (USDA Zone): | 4-9 | Maintenance | Low |
| Bloom Time: | Summer | Soil Type: | Lean, sandy |
| Exposure: | Full sun | Soil pH: | 6.0-7.0 |
| Time to Maturity: | 2-5 years | Soil Drainage: | Well-draining |
| Spacing: | 6-24 inches | Attracts: | Bees, butterflies, other pollinators |
| Planting Depth: | Crown at the soil surface (transplants) | Uses: | Borders, containers edging, ground covers, gravel or rock gardens |
| Height: | 2-3 inches | Order: | Saxifragales |
| Spread: | 12 inches | Family: | Crassulaceae |
| Water Needs: | Low once established | Genus: | Sedum |
| Common Pests and Diseases: | Aphids, mealybugs, nematodes, scale, slugs, snails, weevils; root rot | Species: |
Charming Creepers
English stonecrop is a versatile and charming succulent that adds color, flowers, and interesting texture to the garden and landscape.
It’s an excellent choice as a filler in rockeries and its drought resistance make these plants a superb choice as a ground cover for sandy or rocky areas or any arid settings where other plants struggle.
And don’t forget about containers – the colorful, trailing stems of plump foliage are delightful spilling out of hanging baskets and window boxes!
How do you folks use English stonecrop in the garden? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
And for more information about growing stonecrop plants, be sure to add these guides to your reading list next:
