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Creeping Stonecrop

Phedimus spurius (FED-ih-mus SPUR-ee-us)

Family: Crassulaceae Non-native Groundcover (<1 ft)

Stonecrop is a creeping, semi-evergreen, perennial ground cover in the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae). It is native to northeastern Turkey and northern Iran and grows 2 to 6 inches high and 2 to 3 feet wide. Stonecrop requires full sun and well-drained, sandy or shallow rocky soil. Do not overwater, as it prefers very dry soil and is tolerant of drought. Propagate stonecrop by division or stem cutting. The long-lasting, star-shaped flowers of stonecrop bloom in spring and summer and come in an array of colors, depending upon the cultivar. The leaves may be golden, gray or green, adding to this plant’s interest. The plant is a food source for wildlife, attracting bees, butterflies and songbirds. This is a recommended plant species for Triangle Area green roofs. Add stonecrop to butterfly, children’s, pollinator, drought-tolerant or rock gardens. Also consider it for woodland, naturalized or recreational play areas. And it is well suited to growing as a houseplant. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems : No significant problems.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 57 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Herbaceous Perennial; Poisonous
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Very Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Dense; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf feel
Slippery
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves arranged in two columns along the stem; deciduous towards the stem base and evergreen near the tip; foliage takes on burgundy hues in fall
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Long-lasting; Showy
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
White, pink to purplish star-shaped flowers on 6 in. stems in summer
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
North Eastern Turkey to Northern Iran
Wildlife value
flowers attract bees and butterflies
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Textural; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers; Stems
Fruit type
Capsule

Edibility

Stems and leaves, when very young and tender, may be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Naturalized Area; Recreational Play Area; Rock Wall; Slope/Bank; Woodland
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Children's Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#green roof #evergreen #children's garden #pollinator plant #bird friendly #Guilford Crevice Garden #fall interest #playground plant #trailing #creeping #mat forming #groundcover #butterfly friendly #low growing
Problems & Resistance
Disease problems
Southern Blight of Herbaceous Ornamentals
Other problems
Plant Selection for Extensive Green Roofs in the Research Triangle Area of North Carolina
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Dry Soil; Erosion; Pollution; Rabbits
Particularly resistant to
good drought tolerance
Fire risk
low flammability
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Flowers; Leaves; Roots; Stems
Poison symptoms
Unknown, but possibly gastrointestinal symptoms.
Toxic principle
Alkaloids sedine, sedamine, and others.
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison; parts: Flowers; Leaves; Roots; Stems

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.