sedum n : any of various plants of the genus Sedum

see Sedum

English

Noun

1. Any of various succulent plants, of the genus Sedum, native to temperate zones; the stonecrop

Sedum is the large stonecrop genus of the Crassulaceae, representing about 400 species of leaf succulents, found throughout the northern hemisphere, varying from annual groundcovers to shrubs. The plants have water-storing leaves and a typical form of blossom with five petals, seldom four or six. There are typically twice as many stamens as petals.

Well known European Sedums are Sedum acre, Sedum album, Sedum dasyphyllum, Sedum reflexum (also known as Sedum rupestre) and Sedum hispanicum.

Many sedums are extensively cultivated as garden plants, due to their interesting and attractive appearance and hardiness. The various species differ in their requirements; some are cold-hardy but do not tolerate heat, some require heat but do not tolerate cold. They are preferred to grass for green roofs, popular in Germany and some other countries.

Sedum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Chi. In particular, Sedum spathifolium is the host plant of the endangered San Bruno elfin butterfly of San Mateo County, California.

Edibility and toxicity

Sedum reflexum, known as "prickmadam", "stone orpine" or "crooked yellow stonecrop", is occasionally used as a salad leaf or herb in Europe (incl. the United Kingdom) http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Sedum+rupestre. It has a slightly astringent sour taste

Sedum acre ("biting stonecrop") on the other hand contains high quantities of piperidine alkaloids (namely (+)-sedridine, (-)-sedamine, sedinone and isopelletierine) which give it a sharp, peppery and acrid taste and make it somewhat toxic. Depending on the amount consumed, irritations of the mucous membranes, cramps and paralysis, including respiratory paralysis may ensue. In ancient Greece, biting stonecrop was used to treat epilepsy and skin diseases, as well as to cause abortions.

Sedum roofing

Sedum can be used to provide a roof covering in green roofs.

Species

• Sedum acre (Wall-pepper, Goldmoss Sedum, Goldmoss Stonecrop, Biting Stonecrop)
• Sedum adolphii (Golden Sedum)
• Sedum aizoon (Aizoon Stonecrop)
• Sedum albomarginatum Clausen (Feather River Stonecrop)
• Sedum album (White Stonecrop)
• Sedum allantoides
  • Sedum allantoides var. goldii
• Sedum alpestre
• Sedum anacampseros (Love-restorer)
• Sedum anglicum (English Stonecrop)
• Sedum annuum (Annual Stonecrop)
• Sedum atratum
• Sedum australe
• Sedum burrito (Baby Burro's-tail)
• Sedum caeruleum
• Sedum caespitosum
• Sedum candollei
• Sedum cauticola
• Sedum cepaea (Pink Stonecrop)
• Sedum cockerellii Britt. (Cockerell's Stonecrop)
• Sedum compressum
• Sedum confusum (Lesser Mexican-stonecrop)
• Sedum dasyphyllum (Thick-leaved Stonecrop)
• Sedum debile S. Wats. (Orpine Stonecrop, Weakstem Stonecrop)
• Sedum dendroideum Moc. & Sessé ex A. DC. (Tree Stonecrop)
• Sedum diffusum S. Watson
• Sedum divergens S. Wats. (Spreading Stonecrop)
• Sedum eastwoodiae (Britt.) Berger (Red Mountain Stonecrop)
• Sedum ellacombeanum (Stonecrop)
• Sedum ewersii
• Sedum fosterianum (Rock Stonecrop)
• Sedum furfuraceum
• Sedum glaucophyllum Clausen (Cliff Stonecrop)
• Sedum havardii Rose (Havard's Stonecrop)
• Sedum hirsutum
• Sedum hispanicum (Spanish Stonecrop)
• Sedum hybridum (Hybrid Stonecrop)
• Sedum integrifolium (Entireleaf Stonecrop)
• Sedum iwarenge
• Sedum kamtschaticum Fisch. & C.A. Mey. (Orange Stonecrop, Kamschatka Stonecrop)
  • Sedum kamtschaticum cv. 'Weihenstephaner Gold' (formerly Sedum floriferum)
• Sedum lanceolatum Torr. (Lance-leaf Stonecrop, Lanceleaf Stonecrop, Spearleaf Stonecrop)
• Sedum laxum (Britt.) Berger (Roseflower Stonecrop)
• Sedum leibergii Britt. (Leiberg Stonecrop)
• Sedum liebmannianum
• Sedum lineare (Needle Stonecrop)
• Sedum lucidum
• Sedum lydium (Least Stonecrop)
• Sedum makinoi
• Sedum maximum
• Sedum mexicanum Britt. (Mexican Stonecrop)
• Sedum moranense (Red Stonecrop)
• Sedum moranense Kunth (Red Stonecrop)
• Sedum moranii Clausen (Rogue River Stonecrop)
• Sedum morganianum (Donkey Tail, Burro Tail)
• Sedum nanifolium Fröd. (Dwarf Stonecrop)
• Sedum nevii Gray (Nevius' Stonecrop)
• Sedum niveum A. Davids. (Davidson's Stonecrop)
• Sedum nussbaumerianum
• Sedum nuttallianum Raf. (Yellow Stonecrop)
• Sedum oblanceolatum Clausen (Oblongleaf Stonecrop)
• Sedum obtusatum Gray (Sierra Stonecrop)
  • Sedum obtusatum ssp. paradisum Denton (Paradise Stonecrop)
• Sedum ochroleucum Chaix (European Stonecrop)
• Sedum oreganum Nutt. (Oregon stonecrop)
• Sedum oregonense (S. Wats.) M.E. Peck (cream stonecrop)
• Sedum pachyphyllum
• Sedum pallescens
• Sedum palmeri
• Sedum paradisum Denton (Canyon Creek stonecrop)
• Sedum pinetorum Brandeg. (Pine City stonecrop)
• Sedum praealtum DC. (Greater Mexican stonecrop, Green Cockscomb)
• Sedum pulchellum Michx. (Widow's-cross)
• Sedum pusillum Michx. (granite Stonecrop)
• Sedum radiatum S. Wats. (Coast Range Stonecrop)
• Sedum reflexum (Reflexed Stonecrop, Blue Stonecrop, Jenny's Stonecrop, Prick-madam)
• Sedum reptans
• Sedum rubrotinctum (Pork and Beans, Christmas Cheer)
  • Sedum rubrotinctum cv. 'Aurora'
• Sedum rupicola G.N. Jones (curvedleaf stonecrop)
• Sedum rupicolum G. N. Jones
• Sedum sarmentosum Bunge (stringy stonecrop)
• Sedum sediforme (pale stonecrop)
• Sedum sexangulare (Tasteless Stonecrop)
• Sedum sieboldii (Siebold's stonecrop)
• Sedum smallii
• Sedum spathulifolium Hook. (Broadleaf Stonecrop, Colorado Stonecrop)

• Sedum spurium (Caucasian Stonecrop, Dragon's Blood Sedum, Two-row Stonecrop)
• Sedum stahlii (Coral Beads)
• Sedum stellatum (Starry Stonecrop)
• Sedum stelliforme S. Wats. (Huachuca Mountain Stonecrop)
• Sedum stenopetalum Pursh (Wormleaf Stonecrop, Yellow Stonecrop)
• Sedum stoloniferum Gmel. (Lesser Caucasian Stonecrop, Stolon Stonecrop)
• Sedum telephioides (Allegheny Stonecrop)
• Sedum ternatum Michx. (Woodland Stonecrop)
• Sedum takesimense
• Sedum torulosum
• Sedum villosum (Hairy Stonecrop, Purple Stonecrop)
• Sedum weinbergii
• Sedum wrightii Gray (Wright's Stonecrop)

Now in Dudleya:

• Dudleya caespitosa (Sea Lettuce), formerly Sedum cotyledon
• Dudleya edulis (Fingertips), formerly Sedum edule

Now in Hylotelephium:

• Hylotelephium spectabile (Iceplant, Butterfly Stonecrop), formerly Sedum spectabile
• Hylotelephium telephium (Orpine, Livelong, Witch's Moneybags), formerly Sedum carpaticum, Sedum fabaria or Sedum telephium

Now in Rhodiola:

• Rhodiola rhodantha (rose crown, queen's crown), formerly Sedum rhodanthum
• Rhodiola rosea (Roseroot), formerly Sedum rosea, Sedum rhodiola or Sedum scopolii

External links

• Sedum
• Sedum Society
• Sedum roofing factsheet