False scum: photos and descriptions of varieties Sedum Red rose Spirium or Sedum spurium coccineum, Tricolor, Dragons blood and others, and the nuances of planting and flower care

Stonecrop, or sedum, false planted on terraces, in hanging pots, in balcony drawers, even on roofs and illuminated slopes, are used to decorate wreaths and live paintings. It also performs the function of securing slopes and multi-tiered flower beds.

Learn more about its varieties, places of distribution and appearance, how to properly care for and propagate, as well as about possible problems with the content, you will learn from this article.

Sedum Description

Botanical characteristics, homeland and prevalence

False sedum, stonecrop Spirium or Spurium (Latin: Sedum spurium) is a perennial succulent, belongs to the herbaceous plants of the Tolstyankov family. The species belongs to the generic species of Fedimus. In everyday life, this ornamental shrub is called stonecrop, herniated or febrile grass. Scientific name - Fedimus obscure.

The view was discovered by the German traveler and botanist Friedrich von Bieberstein in the 19th century. The natural environment of growth is Turkey, the Caucasus, the western part of Iran. Widely distributed in Russia and Eastern Europe. It grows in rocky gorges, on stony soils, meadows and open areas.

In modern floriculture, varieties of false sedum are used as a decorative groundcover on flower beds, rockeries, multi-tiered flower beds and alpine hills.

Appearance

False Sedum - a stunted bush, squat, grows in height no more than 20 - 25 cm. The stems are most often creeping, there are varieties with straight, raised shoots.

The stems evenly extend across the surface of the substrate in all directions, which gives the bush a decorative and compact appearance.

Shoots are densely leafy. The leaves are arranged on the stem in two rows, so the plant is called a two-row stonecrop. The leaf plate is bright green with cream trim. Under the influence of sun rays, the border acquires a rich red - wine tint. The leaves are fleshy, the tops are serrated, dull at the base. Leaf length - up to 2 - 3 cm, width - 0.5 - 1 cm.

Inflorescences are dense, corymbose, unite many flowers. The flowers are small, most often have pink hues, less often - purple - red. Pointed petals. The flowering is plentiful, long, up to 2 - 2.5 months, begins in June - July, depending on the region.

The seeds are small, dusty, have good germination, ripen in the fruit - multi-leafed.

With the onset of the first cold weather, the bush is exposed, the plant drops its leaves. The root system is creeping, root processes are cord-shaped, long.

Similar plants

Accuser of prominent "Carmen" similar to stonecrop false bright purple color inflorescences. The stems are densely leafy with bright green leaves.
Fat girl Schmidt, like a false stump, it is a ground cover perennial of short stature. Flowering is distinguished by a gentle pink hue.
Kalanchoe Rosalina also has bright red, lush inflorescences of a corymbose shape. The flowers are densely planted in inflorescences.
Crassula crescent has similar bright, dense inflorescences with a diameter of up to 15 - 20 cm. The foliage is oblong, densely located on the stem.
Fine cineraria - the most decorative look of the godson. The undersized creeping bushes have bright pink and purple shades of flowering.

Is it fastidious in care and how long does it live?

Stonecrop false refers to fast-growing unpretentious species, bushes grow well in 2 - 3 years. Varieties of this species are particularly resistant to drought, grow well in the open sun. In moderate climatic conditions it tolerates winter well and is not afraid of frost.

Grows in any infertile substrates. Every 3 to 4 years requires a transplant.

With proper care, lives very long, more than 7 - 10 years. Seeds fully ripen in August, are easy to collect and germinate even at home.

Thanks to the bright colors of the leaves, the bushes look attractive even without flowering. Leaves are widely used in folk medicine, have medicinal properties. Herbalists use raw materials for burns, ulcerative lesions of the skin, and are used to remove corns, corns and warts. Tinctures from the leaves are used in the treatment of joints.

False stone juice is toxic and may cause allergies.

Varieties - description and photo

Tricolor (Tricolor)

It has the synonymous name "Variegatum". The bush is compact, dense, 35 cm high. The leaves are fleshy, dense, light green with white or pinkish fields. Abundant flowering, umbellate inflorescences.

Dragon Blood

The English name for the variety is Schorbuser Blut. Variety bred in Germany. Differs in decorative coloring of leaves. A green leaf plate with a reddish fringe takes on a deep red or dark purple hue. It blooms in July. The flowers are pink, small, up to 1 - 1, 5 cm in diameter.

Red Rose or Coccineum Coccineum

The classic variety of "carpet" varieties of stonecrop. The crown of the bush is dense, pillow-shaped. The flowers are small, bright - raspberry, are combined into dense inflorescences - scutes. Used for planting in containers and flowerpots as an indoor crop.

Purple Carpet

Short perennial. The height of an adult bush is up to 15 cm. The stems are creeping, leafy, form a dense bush. Inflorescences are dense, corymbose. The flowers are star-shaped, small, raspberry, carmine-pink.

You can read more about this variety here.

Voodoo (Voodoo)

The variety is distinguished by bright burgundy, glossy leaves. The stems are low, juicy, up to 10 cm in height. Creeping shoots are found in a rising form. Peduncles 15 cm tall. Inflorescences are corymbose, dense. The flowers are small, fragrant, pale pink.

You can read more about the Voodoo Stonecrop variety here.

How to care?

Lighting	Bright sunlight is required. Acceptable ambient lighting. With a lack of light, artificial lighting with special lamps is required.
Temperature	In open plantings, the plant adapts to natural temperature extremes. At home, the optimum temperature in spring and summer is 18 - 20 0C. In winter, the pots are rearranged in a cool place. The temperature at rest is not more than 10 - 14 0C. The variety is frost-resistant, do not cover the bushes with leaves and coniferous spruce branches.
Location	The landing site should be open, without shading by trees and buildings. The apartment is best grown on the south, southeast or southwest side. Young seedlings should be obscured by the scorching sun.
Watering	Watering is moderate. Leaves and stems contain a large supply of water. In summer, watered only with severe drought once a week. Watering is carried out under the root. In winter, watering is reduced to a minimum, 1 time in 30 - 35 days. Poured into the pan. Excess water should be drained immediately.
Air humidity	Additional humidification is not required. The plant also dispenses with spraying. In early spring, you can wash away the pollution after winter with a light shower.
Top dressing	Bushes do not need regular feeding. It is enough to apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers or organic top-dressing of a low dosage before planting in the spring. Usually well-bred manure is used.
The soil	The variety is not picky about the soil, the substrate should be loose, light, drained. Drainage from crushed stone, brick fragments is placed in landing tanks. The composition of the soil mixture: Sod land - 1 h. Peat - 1 hour Sand - 1 hour Compost or humus - 1 hour. Lime - 0.5 hours Drainage. Regular weeding of weeds in open plantings.
Pruning	After wintering, the bushes should be cleaned of old leaves, dry and damaged shoots. You can not cut the shoots under the root, you should save leaf buds on the stems. After flowering, dried flower stalks are cut at the base.

Flower propagation

Cuttings

In order for the bush not to lose its shape, it is important to update the plantings by trimming the apical cuttings, which are used for propagation.

The procedure is best performed before or after flowering. Adult plants are used - 4-5 years old planting.

An overhead shoot is cut off, 5-7 cm long.
The lower leaves from the cuttings break off.
Rooting takes place in the finished loose soil.
In spring, cuttings take root in open flowerbeds.

When planting the handle, the knot on the stem is deepened for quick rooting.

Seeds

Stonecrop false is easily enough grown through sowing seedlings. Sowing is carried out in March - April, can be sown for the winter in the open ground. Sowing seedlings:

Ready mixes are poured into seedling boxes.
Seeds are evenly distributed on the surface without deepening.
The substrate is moistened with a fine spray.
The greenhouse is covered with a film or glass.
The temperature of the sowing content of the first 10 - 13 days - 6 - 8 0C.
Boxes are moved to a room with room temperature.
Aeration of the greenhouse and regular moistening of the soil through spraying is required.
Seedlings dive when several leaves appear.
Growing sprouts in open ground are planted in May.
The distance between the seedlings is 10 - 15 cm.

Avoid waterlogging of the soil, sowing may die.

Pots for planting should choose wide, shallow. It is better to use ceramic containers to avoid root overheating in the summer.

Dividing the bush

The easiest and most affordable way. The detachable part is dug up or simply pulled out of the mother bush. In each part, a part of the root and young shoots - stems should remain. The procedure is performed in early spring or after flowering, in October.

Possible growing difficulties

In shady plantings, flowering slows down, the leaves become smaller, the stems are extended.
From the dampness of the substrate, fungal infections of the roots and stems appear. Transplantation and replacement of contaminated soil cover is required. Added drainage and mulching of the upper layer with crushed stone.
From the drying of the soil, the leaves lose their elasticity, wrinkle.
The bush has lost its decorative effect, the leaves are deformed - it is necessary to trim old stems and rejuvenate the bush through rooting of the apical processes.
From an overabundance of fertilizer, the bushes lose their shape, the stems and roots begin to rot. It is necessary to exclude nitrogen fertilizers.
When caterpillars, thrips, and weevils appear on bushes, it is necessary to treat the bushes with insecticides.

Subject to temperature conditions, moderate watering, timely planting and rejuvenation of bushes, stonecrop false develops quickly and blooms profusely for a long time.