DESCRIPTION: A vigorous perennial groundcover with small succulent foliage which emerges colorful shades of red, eventually fading to dark green; flowers a sea of deep cherry red in summer, spreads rapidly to form a dense low mat; needs a dry and sunny location

BOTANICAL NAME: Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood'
AVERAGE MATURE HEIGHT: 15 cm
AVERAGE MATURE SPREAD: 50 cm
SUN EXPOSURE: Full sun to partial shade
FLOWER COLOUR: Deep red
FLOWERING TIME: Late summer
FOLIAGE COLOUR: Dark green with a purple tinge, changing to brilliant red in autumn
COLD HARDINESS: Zone 3 ( Should survive up to -39.9° Celsius )
WATER NEEDS: Average to dry - Drought tolerant
OTHER FEATURES: Attractive Foliage, Attracts Butterflies, Deer Resistant, Groundcover, Rabbit Resistant, Succulent, Low Maintenance, Rock Garden

Ornamental Features

Dragon's Blood Stonecrop is smothered in stunning rose star-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from early to mid summer. Its attractive tiny succulent round leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning dark green in colour with distinctive dark red edges. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous dark red in the fall. 

Landscape Attributes

Dragon's Blood Stonecrop is a dense herbaceous perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favour of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:

• Spreading

Dragon's Blood Stonecrop is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Dragon's Blood Stonecrop will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 14 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. It can be propagated by division.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.

Dragon's Blood Stonecrop is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception.