How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Sedum Angelina

It doesn’t take a master gardener to grow Sedum ‘Angelina’. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, perennial succulent tends to spread in a mat-forming growth habit, making it great for use as a ground cover or filler around larger species. It’s also a lovely specimen for containers, with its long flower period. 

The foliage starts out bright green in the spring and summer and then slowly turns golden yellow in the fall, adding a pop of low-to-the-soil color to your garden. The star-shaped yellow flowers are bright and beautiful in summer. This cold-hardy succulent can survive the winter, making it a perfect for northern gardeners. 

Not only can they be a great addition to the garden as a ground cover or grown directly in the ground, but when grown in containers, these perennials will eventually spread and trail over the edges of the pot. You can achieve the same trailing effect by planting them along the edges of rock walls. 

Sedum ‘Angelina’ does best in sunny areas but can survive in a variety of soil types as long as they are well-draining. They even do well in gravelly soils, which means they can be a great choice for a rock garden as well. The needle-like foliage is stunning, and star-shaped yellow flowers have a long flowering period and bloom in mid to late summer through the fall. 

What is Sedum ‘Angelina’?

Sedum ‘Angelina’ is commonly referred to as stonecrop, like many other members of the Crassulaceae family. While it was formerly classed with the genus name Sedum, it is now under Petrosedum. Petrosedum rupestre ‘Angelina’ common names also include stonecrop, creeping stonecrop, or rocky stonecrop. We’ll refer to it as Sedum ‘Angelina’ throughout this piece.

Native Area

‘Angelina’ sedum, or Petrosedum rupestre, is native to mountain areas in central and western Europe and Scandinavia. This hardy succulent is well adapted to temperate climates and is frequently seen growing in crevices, dry meadows, and even disturbed areas where it can spread easily. It is not known specifically how the ‘Angelina’ hybrid was developed, but it came from European breeding programs.

Characteristics

The Sedum and Petrosedum genera names come from the Latin word sedeo, meaning to sit in reference to the general ground cover growing habit of many sedums, which sit and sprawl over rocks and containers. The succulent foliage is made up of chartreuse needle-like leaves that spiral around the stem. 

Sedum ‘Angelina’ produces terminal clusters of golden-yellow star-shaped yellow flowers. Its bloom time is mid-summer to mid-fall. In some areas, these evergreen perennials bloom their star-shaped flowers from early summer into late fall. Their bright golden-yellow color makes them a beautiful accent for tall species with dark foliage. 

This succulent is a perennial, and in mild climates, it will remain evergreen through winter. However, in northern climates, the foliage turns orange. It can be grown reliably in USDA zones 5-9 in containers and areas of the garden with well-drained soil. Once established, it can spread aggressively and has a mat-forming growth habit, which makes it the perfect ground cover. 

Planting

Start by choosing a location with well-draining soil and full sun. Space them about 12 to 18 inches apart to allow them to spread and form a dense mat. Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball, about two to three inches deep, and set the sedum so that the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Backfill with soil, gently pressing around the roots to remove air pockets.

Water lightly after planting to help establish the roots, but avoid overwatering, as sedums prefer dry to moderately moist conditions.

How to Grow

Sedum ‘Angelina’ is very low-maintenance and easy to care for both in-ground and in containers. Its deer resistance makes it a great landscaping investment for areas where you’d like to “set it and forget it”. 

Light

Angelina sedum does best in full sun where it receives at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. Sedums can tolerate light shade, especially in areas with very hot summers. When temperatures are consistently above 85°F (29°C), the growth and flower power may slow down. 

Water

As with most outdoor sedums, it’s best to water in the mid-morning or late afternoon – anytime outside of the heat of the day. This will help ensure that more moisture soaks into the ground rather than being lost to evaporation in full sun. 

You’ll want to provide newly planted sedums with regular watering throughout their first growing season. Once established, sedum is extremely drought-tolerant, even in full sun. The extra water from overwatering or poorly draining soils can cause sedum to become waterlogged. It’s better to let them dry out between waterings rather than risk watering them too much. 

Once they are fully established (three seasons after planting), they can be watered as little as once every one to two weeks in the height of summer and as little as once every two to four weeks in the spring and fall. Drip irrigation emitters or soaker hoses are a great low-maintenance way to water. 

In addition to their drought-tolerance, they also prefer hot and dry weather. During the winter, reduce the watering frequency to once a month if no measurable precipitation has fallen and only if temperatures are above 40°F (4°C). 

Soil

Sedums can survive a variety of soil types, but they thrive in sandy soil that is slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0 ph range). More important than the soil type, however, is good soil drainage. Avoid waterlogged sites in your garden. A full sun spot in sandy soils or in a rock garden is excellent. 

When cultivating container-grown sedums, be sure to create a well-drained potting mix. Amendments of rocks can help provide drainage to this species when it’s grown in pots. A good mix can be achieved by mixing perlite or sand into a conventional potting mix to increase drainage. Consistently soggy soil is the quickest way to kill your sedum.

Temperature

The best USDA growing zones for these perennials are zones 5-9, which have a climate similar to that of central and western Europe, where Angelina stonecrop calls home. This means Angelina sedum is an exceptionally hardy succulent that not only tolerates drought in heat and full sun but also survives through the winter months. 

At the end of the growing season, once temperatures are consistently below 40°F (4°C), then they will enter dormancy. This natural dormancy protects your sedum during the winter, meaning it does not require any specialized protection from the cold.   

Fertilizing

Angelina sedums prefer lean soil – in that of the well-drained soils of a rock garden, for instance – so fertilizing isn’t necessary. In fact, it may do more harm than good. Too much fertilizer can burn the foliage and desiccate the roots of this species. 

A thin layer of compost applied to the top layer of well-drained soils at the beginning of the growing season will provide all the nutrients that your sedums require. Use this rule for container-grown sedums and in-ground plantings.  

Maintenance

Regular pruning is not required for Sedum ‘Angelina’. Since they are a low-growing and sprawling ground cover, they won’t get too tall and leggy – especially in well-drained soil. You may prune the terminal clusters of the needle-like foliage by clipping the stem to keep them contained to a certain area. It’s also advisable to prune away any dead or damaged foliage to encourage new growth. 

Propagation

Petrosedum rupestre can be propagated from softwood cuttings taken in early summer. Those that have spread out and grown as ground cover can also be divided and replanted in early spring. Softwood cuttings will root easily, and though you can place stem cuttings into the water to encourage root growth, this isn’t necessary. 

Angelina stonecrop softwood cuttings are very hardy and can be placed directly into the soil. Provide your new cuttings with regular watering while they become established. 

Common Problems

Another benefit to growing Sedum ‘Angelina’ is its disease resistance. However, there are a few growing issues to be on the lookout for. 

Growing Problems

Most growing problems arise with sedums planted in waterlogged sites. For this reason, keep them out of low-lying areas where water may pool after rains and away from downspouts where the soil may become soggy. Similarly, when this species is grown in an area with a lot of heat, growing it without shade can burn the leaves.

If you later realize that the planting site is not ideal, then you may choose to dig up your sedum and move it to another area of your garden. It is known to thrive in poor dry soil, so it’s better to pick an area that may be too dry rather than too wet. 

If you’re growing in pots, you can move it to an area with shade if the summers have damaged the leaves. Remember that in addition to shade, you’ll need a really well-draining potting mix. This will not only help it thrive but also flower more readily in these conditions.

Pests

Another great benefit of adding sedums to your landscape is that they have no serious pest issues and are deer- and rabbit-resistant. That being said, slugs and snails can occasionally chomp on the foliage, but they rarely cause anything other than superficial damage. 

If the damage becomes excessive, slugs and snails can be treated with slug and snail traps. Slugs and snails are known to be attracted to beer. Fill a container with beer and bury it so that the lip of the container is at soil level, and slugs and snails will fall in and be unable to get back out. Thankfully, you won’t have to deal with deer or rabbits regarding this variety. 

Diseases

While this evergreen has very few disease problems, root rot can strike if it isn’t planted in well-draining soil. There is even more risk for waterlogged sites in shade. 

This is why it’s best to grow in rock walls with good drainage rather than rich soil. The vertical nature of rock walls ensures you won’t have to deal with poor drainage, and because it tolerates drought, this or a similar setting is best. 

If you notice your sedum taking on root rot symptoms, like wilting and browning foliage or stems, you may have luck salvaging the parts that haven’t rotted. Start by removing the brown foliage, and then move the sedums if necessary to an area with dry soil that’s well-drained. Try not to move it outside of the fall or spring.

Frequently Asked Questions