Sedum dasyphyllum 'Minor' (Stonecrop)

Sedum dasyphyllum 'Minor' is one of the daintiest sedums you can grow, forming a low, dense mat of tiny, plump blue-green leaves that are almost gem-like in their compactness. Each leaf is small enough to look in scale with the pebbles in a rock garden or the grit in a hypertufa trough. The whole plant stays under three inches tall, spreading slowly outward by creeping stems. In summer it produces small white flowers with a faint pink blush, pretty but secondary to the persistent foliage color that carries interest through every season.

Originally from the rocky, dry slopes of the Mediterranean, this sedum is built for lean conditions. It asks for sharp drainage above all else; the plump, water-storing leaves can handle drought comfortably but will rot quickly in waterlogged soil. In a well-drained rock garden, a gravel path edging, a stone trough, or a mixed succulent container, it spreads into a tight carpet that requires essentially no maintenance.

The blue-green foliage takes on subtle purple and bronze tints in cooler weather.