Red stonecrop

Picture Resource: ©2006 Wayne Fagerlund

This plant species belongs to the botanical family Crassulaceae. It is native to Turkey, Bulgaria and to Caucasus region, despite nowadays its range includes Palestine and wider area. Sedum pallidum is commonly known as Red stonecrop. This is a therophyte species that means the plant lives only one year, or one growing season. In Palestine and surrounding regions, it can be found in woodlands and shrub lands, semi-steppe shrub lands, shrub-steppes and in deserts. The genus Sedum as a whole contains up to 600 described species of flowering plants, which are all leaf succulents, found primarily in the northern hemisphere, but extending into the southern hemisphere in Africa and South America. The plants vary from creeping and annual herbs to low shrubs.

Sedum pallidum grows like a carpet over the ground or covering stones, but not growing higher than eight centimetres. The very succulent leaves are simple, cylindrical and arranged alternately. The stems are branched, pubescent and also succulent. The flowers are small, mostly white to light pink, insect pollinated, with five petals and blooming period from March to May. However, in more temperate climates, Sedum pallidum blooms from August to September. The five petals are larger in the centre, but narrow towards the tips, similar to a little star. The fruits have a glandular surface.

The Red stonecrop forms extensive blue/green or pale green carpet-pads with its leaves and stems, covering the surface. Due to these characteristic growth and colour, this plant is commonly used on green roofs and as ornamental plant in stone gardens and in simple residential gardens.

Other names: Pale Stonecrop.

IUCN red list status: not evaluated

Local status: least concern