Sedum 'John Creech'

Sedum 'John Creech': A Tight Green Mat for Patio Cracks

This stonecrop is the dense green mat that quietly eats weeds for breakfast. Scalloped little leaves pack in tight, pink flowers float on top, and cold weather brings a burgundy blush. BORING? NEVER. RELIABLE? ALWAYS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Sedum spurium 'John Creech' (also listed as Phedimus spurius)
• Common Name: Two-row Stonecrop
• Height: 5–10 cm (2–4 in)
• Spread: 30 cm (12 in), slowly widening over time
• Flowers: Small, pink, star-shaped flowers in flat clusters just above the leaves
• Bloom Time: Mid to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Small, rounded, scalloped green leaves in a dense mat, with burgundy tints in cold weather

Where to Plant: Use it between stepping stones, along path edges, on a sunny slope, or in a rock garden or gravel bed. It tolerates light foot traffic, so it works in the gaps of a flagstone patio where weeds usually move in. It also suits green roofs, troughs and the top of a low retaining wall, and it copes well with the heat that bounces off pavement.

Companion Plants: Let 'John Creech' carpet the front of a sunny, dry bed with white cranesbill, Jerusalem sage and giant purple alliums. Geranium sanguineum 'Album' adds white cranesbill at 25 to 30 cm in June and July. Phlomis russeliana brings whorls of soft yellow hooded flowers at 90 cm from June to August. Allium 'Ambassador' opens giant purple globes at 90 to 120 cm in May and June. Pennisetum Lumen Gold™ glows bright gold at 30 to 60 cm in spring.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun, in well-drained soil. Sandy, gravelly or lean soil is ideal. In heavy clay, mix in grit or plant on a slope so water doesn't sit around the roots over winter. Water through the first season, then only during long dry spells. No deadheading is needed. In spring, shear off any winter-damaged stems to keep the mat tidy. To fill a gap, pull off a rooted piece in spring and press it into bare soil. It roots quickly.

History: This selection is named for Dr. John Creech, a former director of the U.S. National Arboretum, who collected it in 1971 at the Central Siberian Botanical Garden in Novosibirsk. It was later identified as a form of Sedum spurium, a stonecrop native to the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia.

Final Thoughts: Fill the cracks, edge the path, cover the slope. Deer pass, bees visit. ONE PLANT. A WHOLE CREW'S WORTH OF WORK.