The sedum - often available in stores under the names “stonecrop” or “sedum” - is the perfect plant when it comes to beautifying unsightly garden corners. The popular perennial is extremely robust, and as a thick-leaved plant it can tolerate prolonged drought very well and is generally both hardy and frost-hardy. However, this does not apply to all sedum species.
Is the sedum hardy?
Most stonecrops (Sedum) are hardy and can tolerate temperatures down to -15 °C. In winter you should pay particular attention to waterlogging and insulate potted plants. Houseplants require a cool rest period of at least three months at 5-12 °C.
Sedum mostly hardy – depending on its origin
The genus of stonecrops (Sedum) includes around 420 members that are native to almost all climate zones worldwide. As a result, of course, not all species are really winter hardy, especially the sedums from the Mediterranean and subtropical regions are not used to German winters. However, this only applies to a few commercially available Sedum species, because most of the sedums we find are extremely robust and can easily tolerate temperatures of up to -15 °C and more.
Protect stonecrop in the pot in winter
But regardless of whether it is hardy or not: Stonecrop cultivated in planters should always be protected when overwintering outdoors, for example by wrapping the pot or bucket with an insulating material. You should also place the planter on a polystyrene plate (€9.00 on Amazon) or a wooden block and place it in a protected location - for example directly on a warming house wall. With plants cultivated in planters, there is always the risk that the roots will freeze in extreme cold, because the planters cannot withstand sub-zero temperatures - in contrast to the insulating soil.
Sedum cultivated as a houseplant overwinter properly
Sedums cultivated as houseplants also have special rules regarding their overwintering. Sedum should under no circumstances be kept in warm rooms all year round, but needs a rest period of at least three months. In this, the plants are watered only slightly and not fertilized at all, and the ideal wintering temperature should be between five and a maximum of twelve degrees Celsius.
Tip
Caution is advised, especially in very wet winters, because the sedum is very sensitive to moisture and especially waterlogging. For this reason, the plant should under no circumstances be mulched.
