(SEE-dum roo-PES-tree KRIS-tah-tuh)

General Information:

A well behaved, unusual sedum that always gets a comment from visitors.  Sedum repustre is a common bluish green sedum that spreads quickly, and the variety S. rupestre  ‘Angelina’ is a well-known yellowish version that is almost invasive. Sedum rupestre f. cristata looks quite different, and does not spread very quickly. It makes a great rock garden plant and stays small enough to be suitable for a trough.

Sedum rupestre f. cristata; photo by Robert Pavlis

The common name for this plant is Crested Stonecrop. This plant contains a genetic mutation that results in the growing point making wide stems, or crests. This growth is also referred to as a monstrata formation or fasciation. This happens in many plants and can affect stem growth or flower formation. I have seen it in delphinium stems and flowers. In most cases it is not a stable mutation, and growth the following year is normal. In the Crested Stonecrop, the mutation is fairly stable, and most new growths show fasciation. Occasionally, a normal stem will be produced and it is best to remove such growth. Give new growth a few weeks to develop the fasciation, since they tend to look normal when the side branch first starts to show. As it gets larger the crest will form.

Sedum rupestre f. cristata does not flower and is grown for its leaves. The plant can be easily reproduced vegetatively.

In winter the stems turn a nice red colour and the plant shrinks as it loses water in preparation for winter. In spring it plumps back up again. Rupestre means “rock loving” and indicates the fact that the plant likes a well-drained soil.

Life Cycle: perennial

Height: 20 cm (0.75 ft)

Bloom Time: none

Natural Range: Original species is from Central and Western Europe

Habitat: lowlands up to 2000m

Synonyms:  Sedum ‘tortuosum’, Sedum reflexum, Sedum ‘Monstrosa’, Sedum ‘Cristata’

Cultivation:

Light: full sun

Soil: well drained

Water: regular moisture in spring, drought tolerant

USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 8

Propagation: division

Seedex availability (ORG&HPS annual Seed Exchange): never

 (sko-PO-lee-uh  kar-nee-OH-lee-ka)

General Information:

Scopolia carniolica var. brevifolia is rarely found in gardens. It has interesting shinny leaves that develop very early in spring, followed by low-key flowers at a time when few perennials are flowering. It has cream-yellow flowers while the main species, Scopolia carniolica, has chocolate-red flowers.

Scopolia carniolica var. brevifolia :photo by Robert Pavlis

It is also known as the yellow scopolia, European scopolia and henbane bell. It is a member of the Solanaceae family and also contains alkaloids which are poisonous.

My midsummer the plant starts dying back and goes underground until the following spring. It is reported to spread mostly by rhizome fragmentation but in my garden is has expanded very slowly. It has also not made viable seeds.

Scopolia carniolica var. brevifolia :photo by Robert Pavlis

Life Cycle: perennial

Height: 60cm (24 in)

Bloom Time: spring

Natural Range: Slovenia (Scopolia carniolica from European Alps)

Habitat: damp stony wooded hills, 1000 m

Synonyms:  Scopolia hladnikiana

Cultivation:

Light: part shade

Soil: average to sandy

Water: average to moist

USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9

Propagation: seed, division

Seedex availability (ORG&HPS annual Seed Exchange): rarely

 (saks-if-FRAG-uh sto-lo-NIF-er-uh)

General Information:

A great little plant for the shady rock garden or as an under planting for shade gardens. Saxifraga stolonifera creeps along the ground slowly, covering the ground to a height of a couple of cm. It flowers on fairly long stems that reach 30 cm into the air.

Saxifraga stolonifera‘Maroon Beauty’; photo by Robert Pavlis

Marron Beauty is much like the species except that the leaves are a darker red colour, versus the green in the species. Either plant makes a nice addition to the garden.

It’s common names include; creeping saxifrage, strawberry saxifrage, creeping foil, strawberry begonia, and strawberry geranium. The reference to strawberry refers to the reddish stems and the way in which it spreads using creeping stolons. It is neither a bergonia nor is it a geranium. A lot of web sites rate it as a zone 7 plant, but many people grow it in zone 5 and it should be hardy in zone 4.

I have found that it grows and flowers best with a lot of moisture. It will survive in dryer conditions, but it is never happy.

This saxifrage is also grown as a house plant.

Saxifraga stolonifera‘Maroon Beauty’; photo by Robert Pavlis

Life Cycle: perennial

Height:7 cm (3 in)

Bloom Time: mid to late summer

Natural Range: China and Japan

Habitat:forests, meadows, shaded rock crevices

Synonyms: Saxifraga sarmentosa, Saxifraga veitchiana,

Cultivation:

Light: part shade to full shade

Soil: well drained, but moist

Water: moist to wet – does not like to dry out

USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 10

Propagation: seed, division

Seedex availability (ORG&HPS annual Seed Exchange): rarely