sedum

/see"deuhm/, n.

any fleshy plant belonging to the genus Sedum, of the stonecrop family, usually having small, overlapping leaves and yellow, white, or pink flowers.

[1400-50; late ME cedum < L sedum houseleek]

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Any of about 600 species of succulent plants that make up the genus Sedum, in the stonecrop, or orpine, family (Crassulaceae), native to temperate zones and to mountains in the tropics.

Some species are grown in greenhouses for their unusual foliage and sometimes showy flowers of white, yellow, pink, or red. Low-growing varieties are popular in rock gardens and rock walls, and as edging in garden borders. Some species form mosslike mats on rocks and walls.

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▪ plant

also called  Stonecrop, or Orpine 

      (genus Sedum), any of about 600 species of succulent plants in the family Crassulaceae, native to the temperate zone and to mountains in the tropics. Some species are grown in greenhouses for their unusual foliage and sometimes showy flowers, of white, yellow, pink, or red.

      The low-growing kinds are popular in rock gardens and rock walls and as edging in garden borders. Golden stonecrop, or wall-pepper (S. acre), white stonecrop (S. album), and S. spurium are mosslike mat formers often found on rocks and walls. Useful garden ornamentals include the somewhat larger S. maximum, with greenish flowers; the orpine, or livelong (S. telephium), with red-purple flowers; and October plant (S. Sieboldii), with pink flowers and blue-green leaves.

      Mexican stonecrop (S. mexicanum), with yellow flowers, makes a handsome hanging basket, as do several related sedums, such as burro's-tail, also called donkey's-tail (S. Morganianum), and carpet sedum (S. lineare).

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