Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:

Wild Stonecrop prefers partly shaded areas with moist, thin, limey soil.

Growth Habit/Description:

Wild Stonecrop forms a thick mat of succulent leaves with star-shared white blossoms in the late spring to early summer. It stays less than a foot tall and spreads rapidly.

Bloom Season:

The star-shaped blossoms of the Wild Stonecrop appear in late spring to early summer. 

Fall and/or Winter Interest?

Yes.  While the blossoms do not stay it creates a nice green groundcover into the Fall.

Host Plant?

Yes.  Wild Stonecrop is a host plant for various species of native bees, the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), and Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia).

Other Known Ecological Value?

Yes.   Wild Stonecrop is an early-season pollinator and rabbits have been known to eat the leaves. 

Origin of Name:  The genus name Sedum comes from the Latin word, sedeo, which means 'to sit'. This refers to the way the plant grows low to the surface of rocks. 

Related Plant Species:   Wild Stonecrop is a part of the Stonecrop family, which includes succulent herbs and small shrubs. Many of the related plants share similar star-shaped flowers.

Use For Food/Medicine: Wild Stonecrop has shown to have similar properties to that of aloe vera and is also edible.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin. wwwwildflowerorg. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=sete3. 

Sedum ternatum - Plant Finder. wwwmissouribotanicalgardenorg. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=m310.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin. wwwwildflowerorg. [accessed 2023 Sep 11]. https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=4151.

Wild Stonecrop. wwwprairienurserycom. [accessed 2023 Sep 11]. https://www.prairienursery.com/wild-stonecrop-sedum-ternatum.html.

2014 BONAP North American Plant Atlas. bonapnet. [accessed 2023 Sep 11]. http://bonap.net/Napa/Genus/Traditional/County#refS.

Wild Stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) - Wild Cherry Farm - Native Plant Nursery. Wild Cherry Farm. [accessed 2023 Sep 11]. https://www.wildcherryfarm.com/shop-native-plants/p/wild-stonecrop-sedum-ternatum#:~:text=Wild%20Stonecrop%20makes%20a%20nice.

Sedum ternatum (Woodland Stonecrop) - Quart Super Plugs. GreenTec Nursery. [accessed 2023 Sep 11]. https://www.greentecnursery.com/woodland-stonecrop/#:~:text=Woodland%20Stonecrop%20is%20an%20excellent.

Last Edited 9/11/23, by Abby Staples