Episode Details

Sedums are some of the toughest and most versatile plants in the garden, but they're also at the center of a botanical identity crisis. This week on the Good Growing podcast, we dig into the world of sedums (or should we call them stonecrops... or even Hylotelephium?) and explore how advances in plant genetics have reshaped our understanding of this popular group of succulents.

Learn about the different types of sedums, from low-growing groundcovers to upright favorites like Autumn Joy, along with their ideal growing conditions, landscape uses, pollinator value, and propagation techniques. We'll also discuss why these drought-tolerant plants thrive in challenging sites, common problems like flopping stems, and a few standout cultivars worth considering for your garden. Plus, we'll attempt to shine a light on the new taxonomy of sedum. Your sedum may not be a sedum anymore.

00:30 Hey Ken and Emily!
02:09 Why is there now confusion about what makes a sedum a sedum?
08:18 What characteristics do sedums have?
09:08 The three types of "sedum"
12:29 Pollinators
19:29 Sedum's use on green roofs
22:24 Propagating sedum
24:14 What growing conditions are ideal for growing sedums?
27:45 Dividing upright sedum. 
28:20 Dealing with floppy sedums
32:26 The popularity of Autumn Joy
34:03 Some of the newer upright sedums (Hylotelephium)
35:29 Designing with bold structure and colors of upright sedums (Hylotelephium)
38:18 Companion plants for sedum
39:27 Do sedums really want hot and dry weather to grow in?
43:30 Soup Talk: a podcast within the Good Growing Podcast
45:52 What sedums do we grow? Or ones we would like to try after reading about them?
50:36 Where do sedums come from?
51:24 Native sedum
56:26 Thank yous and coming up next week

Resources Mentioned:
Linnaeus's folly – phylogeny, evolution and classification of Sedum (Crassulaceae) and Crassulaceae subfamily Sempervivoideae https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/tax.12316

Sedum Mats https://columbia-green.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Sedum-Mat-All-Standard-Mixes-TIS.pdf

Illinois Pollinators Website Plant Profile - Wild Stonecrop https://illinoispollinators.org/plant/wild-stonecrop/

Contact us!
Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu
Ken Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu
Emily Swihart: eswihart@illinois.edu

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Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.

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