With the hot stonecrop you get a very frugal groundcover in the garden. In addition, the easy-care plant is easy to propagate.
Also known as Hot stonecrop, the hot stonecrop is the ultimate ground cover for the rock garden. However, the succulent also has completely different qualities and sometimes even healing effects.
Hot stonecrop (Sedum acre) is hard to miss in the bed with its peculiar, thick-fleshed and oval leaves. The up to 15 cm high leaf succulent is certainly one of the most original and popular leaf ornamental plants among the ground covers. On the one hand, the hot stonecrop owes its name to the slightly hot taste of the leaves. On the other hand, stonecrop, as it is named, likes to grow on stone walls.
Hot stonecrop - ingredients and effects
Hot stonecrop has been used since 300 BC. used medicinally. Even the forefather of medicine, Hippocrates, described Sedum acre as a useful remedy against inflammation and swelling. On this basis, the medicinal herb was later used to treat other skin complaints such as wounds, warts, calluses (e.g. corns) and ulcers. Due to the blood circulation-promoting properties of the hot stonecrop, wound healing is said to be accelerated here. Slightly corrosive components of the plant juice also kill corns and the like.
The classic internal uses of Sedum acre include worm infestations and digestive problems such as constipation. The draining juice of the plant is said to have a particularly laxative effect. Bladder diseases and dropsy are also known indications for treatment. Hippocrates also mentioned a menstrual-promoting effect. Pliny the Elder recommended Sedum acre forehead wraps even when sleeping poorly.
Hot stonecrop has also been known since ancient times as a culinary herb, for example as a salad spice. The sharp, spicy aroma is due to the plant's own flavonoids. They also contribute to the herb’s anti-inflammatory and blood circulation-boosting effects. In addition, the succulent also contains some tannins, which are necessary for their
- astringent
- disinfectant
- anti-inflammatory
- diuretic
properties are known. The astringent effect of stonecrop was also used in the past to treat high blood pressure.
The medicinal plant Sedum is repeatedly said to have a healing effect against epilepsy. However, this has not been proven and is therefore in question. On the other hand, the successful use of the plant sap for diphtheria by the doctor Duval in the 19th century is documented. For this purpose, extracts of the hot stonecrop were mixed with beer. Medical recommendations for the treatment of scurvy also exist. According to this, Sedum acre can correct pathological nutrient deficiency of vitamin C.
➔ Caution, slightly toxic
For the medical application of Sedum acre, please only use ready-made preparations from the pharmacy. Despite its medicinal properties, the plant also contains slightly toxic alkaloids such as sedamine and nicotine. Overdosing can lead to skin irritation and vomiting. Incorrect dosing of the laxative components of stonecrop can also cause diarrhea.
Cultivating Sedum acres in the garden is, however, harmless. Even pets are unimpressed by small consumption amounts, so that the succulent is relatively harmless when cultivated normally and used moderately as a low-dose herb.
Hot stonecrop in the garden
In addition to its decorative foliage, the bright yellow star-shaped flowers of Sedum acre are also very decorative. They bloom from June to July and turn the ground-covering leaf cushion of the plant into a decorative carpet of flowers in summer. However, the flowering splendor of the stonecrop only comes into its own when the lighting conditions are appropriate.
| Stonecrop (Sedum acre) | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | carpet-like, creeping, cylindric |
| Growth: | 5 - 10 cm |
| Growth: | 10 - 20 cm |
| Flowering: | June to July |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | dry, well drained, rich in humus and nutrients, mineral |
Overall, the hot stonecrop is a rather sun-loving plant. Nicknames like rock pepper also reveal something about the location preferences of the succulent. In fact, it prefers rocky ground, which is why alpine and rock gardens are particularly suitable as cultural sites. But even on the roof garden, in the HeidegartenSedum acre looks amazing on dry stone walls and in planters.
Tip: Since the hot stonecrop forms dense cushions, it is preferably used to conceal or overgrow bare bed and wall locations. The plant for green roofs and areas is also popular.
Hot stonecrop location
As mentioned, Sedum acre prefers a sunny spot. The plant is therefore not suitable as an underplant for shady shrubs or trees. In principle, however, the sides of houses and roofs that are not in the sun are conceivable, even if the flowering of the hot stonecrop decreases a little here. However, at least 2 to 3 hours of afternoon sun should still be guaranteed.
Hot stonecrop tolerates the European winter cold much better than lack of sun. Since the sedum species is native to North Africa, Europe and even Siberia, it tolerates temperatures down to -29 C without any problems. It can therefore confidently stand in the garden for several years. It spreads extremely quickly in favorable locations. A large carpet of plants is therefore usually formed after just a few years.
As a classic rock garden plant, Sedum acre naturally prefers permeable and gritty or gritty-loamy substrates. The plant can also stand fresh and moist, but the soil must be low in humus and nutrients. The pH of the soil should be in the neutral range, between 6.5 and 7.5 points. Good planting partners for the hot stonecrop are other succulents such as
- Saxifrage
- Houseleek
- Globe Houseleek
Plant Stonecrop
The pungent stonecrop can be planted continuously from spring to autumn. It is best to choose a rain-free day on which the dry substrate can be easily optimized for the needs of the plant. The easiest way to do this is with succulent soil.
Tip: Alternatively, you can also optimize commercially available potting soil.
It is important to provide the soil for Sedum acre with a gravel drainage to guarantee good water drainage. The substrate should also be enriched with a handful of gravel and sand. The pungent stonecrop also appreciates a light dose of lime. Basic fertilization with mature compost or humus, on the other hand, is not necessary and should also be avoided with a view to the optimal site substrate.
Sedum acre reaches a growth width of up to 20 cm. The planting distance in the bed is about 20cm. It is usually sufficient to simply place plant specimens on the ground. This makes cultivation on dry stone walls, rocky garden elements and on roofs particularly easy.
Hot stonecrop - water and fertilize
It is characteristic of the hot stonecrop that it grows happily without the gardener having to do anything. It is therefore extremely easy to care for and requires neither regular watering nor fertilization.
You should be extremely economical with watering, natural precipitation is sufficient. Sedum acre survives dry phases in between without any problems, even in very hot summer months. Only very dry stone or wall plantings need a little artificial spray from the watering attachment or garden hose from time to time.
You have to be extremely careful when fertilizing the hot stonecrop. Too many nutrients make the shoots of the plant soft and lazy to bloom. If at all, moderate fertilization is indicated during the growth phase. It is best to add some liquid fertilizer for succulents to the irrigation water once a month.
Cut hot stonecrop
It is not necessary to cut succulents such as stonecrop. However, you can cut back wilted flowers, stems and occasionally rampant runners. If the latter is the case, please only cut at the edge of the carpet of plants. The delicate leaves of Sedum acre fall off very easily. Its shapely, grassy growth could therefore suffer from pruning.
Propagating Hot Stonecrop
Hot stonecrop - propagation by seed
During its fruit ripening in autumn, the hot stonecrop develops small follicles. They usually reliably self-seed in the garden. You can simply collect the seeds for controlled sowing.
The seed is sown directly into the bed in spring. As soon as the seedlings have reached a size of approx. 10 cm, they can be pricked out at a distance of 20 cm.
➔ Hot Stonecrop - Propagation by cuttings
The best time to take stonecrop cuttings is between April and August. Cut off shoots about 5 cm long and place them in a pot with succulent soil. Alternatively, you can also mix a standard substrate with sand and peat. Keep the soil moderately moist until rooting.
The cutting should then be rooted after about 3 to 4 weeks. Another 2 to 3 weeks later, the roots are strong enough and the cuttings can be planted outdoorsbecome.
➔ Hot Stonecrop - Propagation by root division
Hot stonecrop can be propagated even faster by dividing the rootstock than by sowing seeds or taking cuttings. Often the plant does not have to be dug up for this. It is enough to carefully separate part of the outer plant cushion. To do this, carefully pull the root network apart. The sections can then be transplanted as usual
Potted Stonecrop
Pot plantings of the stonecrop should be repotted from time to time. Since the plant is relatively vigorous in good site conditions, repotting is necessary about every two years. Carry out the repotting work in the spring and wait until the substrate is completely dry. The soil can then be easily shaken off the plant roots. As with outdoor planting, planters must also be provided with good drainage in advance. After that, loosely pressing the plants to the substrate is sufficient. The containers themselves should be chosen a little wider as the plant ages.
Hot Stonecrop - Diseases and Pests
Sedum acre is actually very resistant to pests. It is mostly care mistakes that weaken the plant to such an extent that it becomes susceptible to diseases or pests.
➔ Root Rot
If you water your stonecrop too much, you not only risk waterlogging. Root rot also occurs very easily if the soil is permanently too moist. This is especially true if Sedum acre is also too shady. Affected plants are usually quickly destroyed by root rot. For this reason, only conscientious prevention through moderate watering behavior helps.
➔ Lice and Snails
Among the pests, mealybugs, mealybugs and slugs like to tamper with the stonecrop. Here, too, the risk of an infestation is greater if the plant has been weakened by care mistakes - such as excessive watering or over-fertilization.
Mealybugs and mealybugs
An infestation with mealybugs can be recognized by woolly webs in the area of the leaves and leaf axils. Mealybugs, on the other hand, spread if they hibernate incorrectly in too warm house locations on the stonecrop and are particularly noticeable due to honeydew on the leaves.
Beneficial insects such as ladybugs or their larvae are the best way to get rid of lice. In the case of mealybug infestation, immediate resettlement outdoors can also help. The insectsdo not tolerate winter frost very well and then die off.
Snails
The tasty, spicy leaves and roots of the stonecrop are also a feast for snails. In addition to home remedies such as coffee grounds or begonia manure, snail fences and sawdust can also help. However, the latter must be spread very widely around the plants so that they make it impossible for the molluscs to advance.