Forest of Hearts plant of the month: Sedum rupestre “Angelina”

Common name: Crooked yellow stonecrop

Species: Sedums are leaf succulents which are mainly found in the Northern hemisphere. The species comprises of a large variety of plants which can look very different from one another. Sedum rupestre “Angelina” belongs to the group of sedum called stonecrops, plants which cover the ground and usually remain under 4-6 inches (although the stems with flowers on sedum rupestre “Angelina” can be 8 inches tall). They are called stonecrops because they are found in mountainous terrain and rocky soil. 

Appearance: Sedum rupestre “Angelina” is an evergreen low-growing perennial but it also changes hues with the seasons. It is bright yellow in spring, green in summer, and has bronze and copper highlights in autumn and winter. Its flowers are yellow-gold.

Origins: Sedum rupestre “Angelina” is a newer type of sedum which was found in a private garden in Croatia by Christian Kress of Austria’s Sarastro Nursery and introduced to a wider market in 2000. It was named “Angelina” after the garden’s owner.

Why are we using it on our living walls?

Sedum is a species of plant which can survive under very adverse conditions and so is a great choice for innovative urban planting. Some varieties of sedum have been found to endure temperatures from -25°C to 40°C. Sedum album can survive more than 100 days without water.

This variety of sedum, sedum rupestre “Angelina” is ground-covering and is often used for green roofs and to cover other surfaces. It is a crawling plant which is drought tolerant, easy to grow, and resilient. This means that maintaining it is simple and sustainable. It’s an easy-going plant which is adaptable and can thrive in full sun or partial shade so can be well-placed in lots of public spaces around Warwickshire in our living walls. Sedum rupestre “Angelina” is suited for inner city areas as it is tolerant of pollution. It is evergreen and retains water which makes it fire resistant too. 

Propagation: Sedum rupestre “Angelina” is easy to propagate—so much so that stems often break off and root by themselves. It can be propagated at any time during the year but propagation works best in spring and summer. To propagate, snip off 2 to 5 inches of stem and plant in a pot containing moist soil. They should take root in two to three weeks and be ready for planting elsewhere.