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Last Updated: Jan 10, 2007 - 10:15:57 AM |
By Kent Reed Swanson
`Dragon's Blood' Sedum (Sedum spurium, cultivar “Schorbuser Blut”) is a low perennial groundcover that grows as a dense mat and produces dazzling red to pink flowers in the summer and fall. The foliage is equally as showy as the flowers, beginning as small thick green leaves with red margins that turn to an impressive red by the fall. This sedum will create an interesting cascading effect in rock gardens or in containers. It acts as a semi-evergreen, so it will maintain some foliage throughout the year depending on where you live.
A nice thing about planting groundcovers in general is that they’ll help keep weeds down. You can easily keep this plant under control and keep it from encroaching on your other perennials as its roots won’t go too deep. Thus, it’s fairly easy to remove a clump here and there. Dragon’s Blood will grow to three to eight inches tall.
This sedum will grow best in zones 3 through 10 and should be planted in a mostly sunny spot. The more sun you give it, the brighter the flowers and leaves will be. As succulents, sedums like drier conditions and will do fine in loams, sandy or clay soils. Make sure the soil is well drained. They also tolerate a high range of pH values, from around 3.7 to 7.3. This is an extremely hardy plant which requires minimal maintenance. It is also easy to transplant, so if you know someone who has it in their garden, ask them for a sample. You can transplant Dragon’s Blood pretty much any time during the growing season.
Dragon’s Blood works well in your garden and combines well with kaffir lilies or perennial flowers that are pink to red. This gorgeous photo from Cambridge University’s Botanic Garden will help give you an idea the effect this plant will have in your garden.
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