How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Sedum Kamtschaticum

Sedum kamtschaticum (now classified as Phedimus kamtschaticus) offers lush ground cover of deep green leaves. The plant’s stem is six inches tall. The small, yellow flowers bloom in spring, early summer, and mid-summer. The foliage turns a striking bronze in winter, while the long-lasting, star-like, golden yellow flowers mostly retain their color throughout the bloom time.

The drought-tolerant stonecrop sedum retains its spoon-shaped foliage all season long. It is perfect for growing between stone pathways or in xeriscape gardens. The plant has a variegated variety for a pop of color.

Let’s discuss growing this lovely full sun plant in your garden!

What is Sedum Kamtschaticum?

It is currently classified as Phedimus kamtschaticus, or by the common name, Russian stonecrop. It can be grown as ground cover, as its foliage and flowers are pleasingly colored. It’s drought tolerant so you can grow it in the crevices of your walls.

Native Area

This plant is native to rocky mountains across Japan and some other regions covering most of the western areas of Asia. Rocky slopes, green roofs, and dry gardens in full sun are excellent for Phedimus kamtschaticus. It will attract butterflies but resist deer and rabbits.

Characteristics

The growth rate of this plant is fairly fast. It’s a member of the family Crassulaceae and grows four to six inches tall and one to two feet wide. The leaves of the plant are deep green and spoon-shaped.

In early spring, bright yellow star-shaped flowers bloom from among the foliage. As spring turns to early summer, the flowers begin to bronze, followed by foliage in fall and winter. Then, spent flowers release seeds that overwinter and sprout sparsely in early spring. The plant also reproduces via rooted stems and spreading roots.

Add this lovely ground cover plant to areas where you don’t mind it spreading out, and keep it away from slower-growing plants. It’s not an invasive plant, but it can be aggressive.

There are two premiere types to look out for. Both are drought-tolerant: Phedimus kamtschaticus, which has deep green leaves and yellow flower color, and Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’, which has deep green leaves with creamy white borders.

Planting

To plant Phedimus kamtschaticus, choose a location with well-draining soil and full to partial sunlight. This sedum is drought-tolerant once established, so it doesn’t require heavy watering. If you’re planting in soil with poor drainage, consider adding sand or grit to improve it, as sedums don’t thrive in overly moist conditions.

Dig small holes slightly larger than the root ball, space plants about nine to twelve inches apart, and backfill the soil around each plant. After planting, water lightly to help settle the soil, but be careful not to overwater. Over time, this sedum will spread and form a beautiful, dense mat of bright green foliage with charming yellow flowers in summer.

How to Grow

This sedum is an excellent ground cover that is fairly easy to grow. Let’s discuss the ins and outs of caring for it!

Light

This stonecrop grows best in full sun but can grow in partial shade in your garden. It is somewhat shade-tolerant if it receives six hours of full sunlight during the day. In winter, the plant may die back, but in many zones, the green foliage will remain.

Water

Use the soak and dry method for this ground cover plant. Soak your plant and wait for the soil to dry completely before watering it again. Mature ground cover plants are drought-tolerant – they can go without water for several months.

Protect your Phedimus kamtschaticus from an overly wet winter, which can put it under duress and promote infections of root rot. An appropriate soil composition should help with that.

Soil

This ground cover plant prefers to grow in well-drained, dry, and poor soil. Average garden soil, clay soil, and sandy soil all work just as well. If the soil is too rich or too water-retentive, it can stress your sedum. You want soil that dries easily between waterings.

That said, water your drought-tolerant sedum at the base rather than above. This prevents water-borne illnesses from spreading on leaf surfaces. The best pH for this plant is a mildly neutral to acidic level.

Temperature

Your plant can thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9. The lowest temperature it can tolerate is -20°F (-28°C). Heat is no problem for this plant, which works well in hot, brightly lit gardens. Partial shade in these areas is just fine.

Fertilizer

These ground covers don’t need additional fertilizer since they prefer poor soil and dry soils. Remember, they are drought-tolerant. If you want to add an annual topdressing of compost, apply a very thin layer.

Maintenance

You can transplant your store-bought plants into free-draining soil in containers with drainage holes, or plant them in your garden as ground cover. Space your plants none to twelve inches apart as they need space to sprawl on the ground via short rhizomes.

If you’re growing your sedum in a pot, repot it when it doubles in size, or annually. It’s at this time you can divide the plant or take cuttings.

You can trim back the stems and dead clusters of flower heads of your plant in early spring. In early summer, pinch back the taller varieties of your grown plant by half to prevent splitting. It’s at this time you can deadhead the plant to prevent self-seeding.

Of course, as always, if any dead or diseased areas of the plant crop up, prune these with sterilized pruning shears as needed.

Propagation

You can propagate your plant via division every two to three years. This process is easy and should be done in spring or early summer. Simply dig up the plant and look for nodes with plant growth attached. Then, gently separate them and plant them. You can plant the larger divisions directly into their permanent spots in full sun and grow the smaller ones in pots in a cold frame.

Common Problems

Phedimus kamtschaticus is incredible easy-going, blooming from spring, to early summer, all the way to mid-summer. However, look out for a few things when you’re growing it.

Growing Problems

Don’t over-water your plant during winters as wet soil will kill your plant. Therefore, ensure your plant is in well-draining soil, and only water when the soil has completely dried out.

While it is shade-tolerant, too much shade is not good for your plant, so provide at least 6 hours of sunlight throughout the day. Some partial shade is fine. Symptoms of too little sunlight show in slower growth and a lack of spring blooms.

Pests

Aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs may all feed on the leaves of your plant, sucking plant sap as they go. However, they’re not usually a significant problem. You can usually blast them off the plant with a strong stream of water.

If the blast of water doesn’t do it, instead of spraying with organic pesticides (which can put foraging butterflies in danger), remove infested parts of the plant and wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove the remaining pests.

Diseases

Your plant can suffer from fungal infections and root rot, so make sure that you don’t over-water it and use well-drained soil. You can mix 50% pumice, coarse sand, or perlite into the soil to prevent these diseases. Allow the soil to dry completely between waterings.

If root rot takes hold, cease watering and remove the diseased parts of the plant. In cases where this doesn’t remedy the issue, dig up the whole plant, and put it in fresh media that is completely dry. Do not water again until the plant is stable.

Frequently Asked Questions