Sedum acre

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Sedum acre
Sedum acre single - Niitvalja.jpg
In Niitvälja, Estonia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Sedum
Species:
S. acre
Binomial name
Sedum acre
L.
S. acre in Batiscan, Quebec, Canada Sedum acre 009.jpg
S. acre in Batiscan, Quebec, Canada

Sedum acre, commonly known as the goldmoss stonecrop, [1] mossy stonecrop, [2] goldmoss sedum, biting stonecrop, [3] and wallpepper, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. It is native to Europe, northern and western Asia and North Africa, but is also naturalised in North America, [4] Japan,[ citation needed ] and New Zealand. [5]

Contents

Description

The biting stonecrop is a tufted evergreen perennial that forms mat-like stands some 5 to 12 cm (2 to 5 in) tall. For much of the year, the stems are short, semi-prostrate and densely clad in leaves. At the flowering time in June and July, the stems lengthen and are erect, somewhat limp and often pinkish-brown with the leaves further apart. The leaves are alternate, fleshy and shortly cylindrical with a rounded tip. They are also sometimes tinged with red. The starry flowers form a three to six-flowered cyme. The calyx has five fleshy sepals fused at the base, the corolla consists of five regular bright yellow petals, there are ten stamens, a separate gynoecium and five pistils. The fruit consists of five united, many-seeded follicles. The leaves contain an acrid fluid that can cause skin rashes. [6]

Habitat

Biting stonecrop is a low-growing plant that cannot compete with more vigorous, fast-growing species. It is specially adapted for growing on thin dry soils and can be found on dry grassland, shingle, beaches, drystone walls, dry banks, seashore rocks, roadside verges, wasteland and in sandy meadows near the sea. [4] [6]

Cultivation

Biting stonecrop spreads when allowed to do so, but is easily controlled, being shallow-rooted. It is used in hanging baskets and container gardens, as a trailing accent, in borders, or as groundcover. This plant grows as a creeping ground cover, often in dry sandy soil, but also in the cracks of masonry. It grows well in poor soils, sand, rock gardens, and rich garden soil, under a variety of light levels.

Biting stonecrop is said to have a peppery taste (hence the name "biting") and is sometimes used in herbal medicine. However, it is considered to be poisonous and consumption is discouraged. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leucanthemum vulgare</i> Species of flowering plant

Leucanthemum vulgare, commonly known as the ox-eye daisy, oxeye daisy, dog daisy, marguerite and other common names, is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia, and an introduced plant to North America, Australia and New Zealand.

<i>Sedum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, members of which are commonly known as stonecrops. The genus has been described as containing up to 600 species, subsequently reduced to 400–500. They are leaf succulents found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, but extending into the southern hemisphere in Africa and South America. The plants vary from annual and creeping herbs to shrubs. The plants have water-storing leaves. The flowers usually have five petals, seldom four or six. There are typically twice as many stamens as petals. Various species formerly classified as Sedum are now in the segregate genera Hylotelephium and Rhodiola.

<i>Petrosedum rupestre</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae

Petrosedum rupestre, also known as reflexed stonecrop, Jenny's stonecrop, blue stonecrop, stone orpine, prick-madam and trip-madam, is a species of perennial succulent flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae, native to northern, central, and southern Europe.

<i>Phedimus spurius</i> Species of succulent flowering plant

Phedimus spurius, the Caucasian stonecrop or two-row stonecrop, is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. It is still widely listed in the literature as Sedum spurium.

<i>Hylotelephium spectabile</i> Species of succulent

Hylotelephium spectabile is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae, native to China and Korea. Its common names include showy stonecrop, iceplant, and butterfly stonecrop.

<i>Sedum album</i> Species of flowering plant

Sedum album, the white stonecrop, is a flowering plant of the genus Sedum in the family Crassulaceae. It is found in the northern temperate regions of the world, often growing in crevices or free-draining rocky soil. As a long-day plant it grows vegetatively for most of the year and flowers in summer.

<i>Sedum sexangulare</i> Species of succulent

Sedum sexangulare, also known as tasteless stonecrop, is a species of succulent perennial and evergreen plant of the genus Sedum. It is similar to Sedum acre, but has shorter and denser leaves. It gained the binomial name ("six-angled") for its characteristic six spirals of leaves. S. sexangulare is about 15 cm (5 in) tall and is native to Europe and Asia, where it grows in the wild and is often cultivated as an ornamental plant. The plant needs wet or dry sandy soil and a sunny spot. It blooms in June and July with yellow, star-shaped flowers, which attract bees and other insects.

<i>Sedum ternatum</i> Species of succulent

Sedum ternatum is the most widespread native Sedum species in eastern North America, commonly known as woodland stonecrop. It has white flowers, blooming April to May. This shade-tolerant species is often found in the forest understory, although it can also grow in sunnier locations when sufficient moisture is present. Its common name of "stonecrop" evokes its ability to thrive atop boulders, where its succulent leaves help it to retain moisture in shallow soil. It adapts well to garden use.

<i>Sedum lanceolatum</i> Species of succulent flowering stonecrop

Sedum lanceolatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common names spearleaf stonecrop and lanceleaf stonecrop.

Sedum oblanceolatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common names oblongleaf stonecrop and Applegate stonecrop. It is native to the Klamath Mountains of southwestern Oregon and far northern California, where it grows on many types of rocky substrate, such as serpentine soils and other ultramafics. It is a succulent plant forming basal rosettes of waxy leaves. The leaves are widely lance-shaped, widest near the distal end and narrowing to rounded or notched tips. Smaller leaves occur farther up the stem. The small inflorescence grows a few centimeters tall and bears up to 50 flowers in a flat-topped array. The flowers have cream or yellowish petals up to a centimeter long.

<i>Sedum obtusatum</i> Species of succulent

Sedum obtusatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common name Sierra stonecrop. It is native to the Sierra Nevada and adjacent high mountain ranges of California, its distribution extending north into Oregon and east into Nevada. It grows in rocky mountain habitat.

<i>Sedum radiatum</i> Species of succulent

Sedum radiatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common name Coast Range stonecrop. It is native to Oregon and California, where it is known from several coastal and inland mountain ranges, including the Klamath Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. It grows in many types of rocky habitat, sometimes on serpentine soils. It is an annual or biennial succulent plant producing several stems with elevated, somewhat basal rosettes of leaves. The leaves are not much more than a centimeter long. They are green or yellowish with green, purple or red veining. The inflorescence is a short, erect array of many densely packed flowers. The flowers have yellow, cream, or white petals which are lance-shaped and one half to 1 centimeter long.

<i>Sedum spathulifolium</i> Species of succulent

Sedum spathulifolium is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common names broadleaf stonecrop, yellow stonecrop, and spoon-leaved stonecrop. An evergreen perennial, it is native to western North America from British Columbia to southern California, where it can be found often in shade in many types of rocky habitat in coastal and inland hills and mountains.

<i>Sedum anglicum</i> Species of succulent

Sedum anglicum, the English stonecrop, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Sedum in the family Crassulaceae.

<i>Hylotelephium sieboldii</i> Species of succulent

Hylotelephium sieboldii, the October stonecrop, Siebold's stonecrop, Siebold's sedum or October daphne, is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae, native to Japan. Growing to 10 cm (4 in) high by 20 cm (8 in) wide, this trailing deciduous perennial produces its round glaucous leaves in whorls of 3 around the delicate stems. The hot-pink flowers appear in autumn (fall).

<i>Hylotelephium erythrostictum</i> Species of succulent

Hylotelephium erythrostictum, commonly known as garden stonecrop, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the genus Hylotelephium, belonging to the family Crassulaceae.

Sedum moraniii is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common name Rogue River stonecrop. It is endemic to Oregon in the United States, where it only grows in Josephine County next to the Rogue River.

<i>Sedum dasyphyllum</i> Species of succulent

Sedum dasyphyllum, also named Sedum burnatii and commonly known as Corsican stonecrop or thick-leaved stonecrop, is a low-growing succulent flowering plant of the genus Sedum in the family Crassulaceae.

<i>Sedum sarmentosum</i> Species of succulent

Sedum sarmentosum, known as stringy stonecrop, gold moss stonecrop, and graveyard moss, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae native to East Asia and Southeast Asia (Thailand). It has been introduced in at least eastern North America, and Europe.

<i>Aeonium sedifolium</i> Species of succulent

Aeonium sedifolium is a perennial flowering plant in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae. The plant is native to the western Canary Islands of Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma.

References

  1. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Sedum acre". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  2. Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; & Dickinson, R. (2004) ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto:Royal Ontario Museum, p. 243.
  3. David Chapman (2008). Exploring the Cornish Coast. Penzance: Alison Hodge. p. 44. ISBN   9780906720561.
  4. 1 2 Clapham, A. R.; Tutin, T. G.; Moore, David Moresby (1987). Flora of the British Isles. CUP Archive. p. 146.
  5. "Sedum acre". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Biting stonecrop: Sedum acre". NatureGate. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  7. "Biting stonecrop Sedum acre" . Retrieved 2 August 2024.