Sedum nevii is one of the daintiest stonecrops you can grow. It forms neat little rosettes of blue-green leaves, packed together like a tray of tiny pine cones, and in early summer it sends up short stems of white starry flowers.
In the wild it is a scarce plant of rocky outcrops in the south-eastern United States, which tells you a lot about how to keep it happy in Britain. Below you will find where to place it, the compost it prefers, a season-by-season watering plan, how to protect it from winter wet and how to make more plants from a single pot.
Sedum nevii at a glance
- Botanical name Sedum nevii (plants in the trade are often the very similar Sedum glaucophyllum)
- Common name Nevius' stonecrop
- Plant type Evergreen, rosette-forming succulent perennial
- Hardiness No official RHS rating, hardy to around -20C in dry soil (roughly H6)
- Height and spread 5 to 10cm tall in leaf, 15 to 30cm across
- Flowering Small white starry flowers in late spring and early summer
- Foliage Tiny blue-green rosettes, sometimes tinged pink or purple in cold weather
- Position Full sun to light shade, with some relief from the hottest afternoon sun
- Soil Very free-draining, gritty, low in nutrients
- Good for Troughs, alpine pans, crevices, wall tops and shallow containers
A rare stonecrop with a name puzzle
Nevius' stonecrop is named after Reuben Nevius, a nineteenth-century American clergyman and plant collector. Natural populations are small and scattered on rocky ledges, so the plants you buy should always be nursery propagated.
A close cousin from the Appalachians, Sedum glaucophyllum, was described as a separate species in 1946, and many plants sold under the name Sedum nevii are in fact that species. The two look almost identical in a pot and need exactly the same care, so do not let the label worry you.
Light and shelter
Unlike many stonecrops, this one is used to a little shade from rocks and trees in its native habitat. A spot with morning sun and light afternoon shade suits it well in a hot summer, and it keeps the rosettes plump rather than scorched.
Full sun is fine in most UK gardens, and it brings out the pinkish blush on the leaves in autumn. Deep shade is the one thing to avoid, as the rosettes stretch, lose their tight shape and rot more easily.
Compost and planting
Drainage matters more than anything else. Treat it like an alpine and give it a lean, stony mix that water rushes straight through.
- Blend equal parts peat-free compost, horticultural grit and perlite or pumice for pots and troughs.
- Use shallow pans or troughs, since the roots are short and deep compost stays wet.
- Set the rosettes slightly proud of the surface and tuck fine grit right up under them.
- In the ground, plant into a raised bed, scree or the top of a wall rather than flat soil.
Watering through the year
From April to September, water pots when the compost has dried out, giving a good soak and then leaving it alone. In a hot spell that might mean twice a week for a small pan, but always check with a finger first.
From October to March, water sparingly or not at all for plants outdoors, as rain usually provides plenty. Feeding is rarely needed. A light sprinkle of slow-release fertiliser when you repot every couple of years is enough for a plant adapted to bare rock.
Getting through a British winter
Frost alone will not trouble Sedum nevii, which is rated to around USDA zone 4 or 5 in America. Cold, saturated compost is what kills it, especially when wet weather drags on from November into February.
Move pots and pans under the eaves of a house, into an open-sided cold frame or onto a covered bench where rain cannot reach them but air still moves freely. In the ground, a pane of glass or cloche propped above the plant keeps the crowns dry without trapping humidity.
Problems worth knowing about
Rot shows as rosettes that turn translucent and collapse. Cut out the affected pieces at once, let the rest dry off and repot into fresh, grittier mix if the compost has gone sour.
Vine weevil grubs and root mealybugs can attack plants in containers. Check the roots whenever you repot, and use nematodes against weevil in late summer. Slugs occasionally graze young rosettes in spring, so a gritty top-dressing helps deter them.
Making more plants
Each clump is made up of many small rosettes joined by short stems, so propagation is simple. Gently pull a few rosettes away in spring or early summer, leave them to dry for a day, then press them into gritty compost.
Keep the new pieces in bright, indirect light and water lightly once the surface has dried. Roots usually form within two to four weeks, and by autumn each piece will have started its own small cluster.
Where it looks best
Its fine texture is easy to lose in a big border, so give it a stage of its own. Stone troughs, tufa blocks, shallow terracotta pans and the crevices between paving all show off the rosettes at close range.
Pair it with plants of a similar scale, such as small sempervivums, Saxifraga cochlearis, Armeria juniperifolia and Sedum dasyphyllum. For broader advice on growing the wider family, our general sedum care guide covers the basics.
Questions about Sedum nevii
Is Sedum nevii hardy in the UK?
Yes, it handles hard frost well and is rated to roughly -20C in its native country. The risk in Britain is winter wet rather than cold. Give it sharp drainage and shelter pots from prolonged rain and it should come through year after year.
What is the difference between Sedum nevii and Sedum glaucophyllum?
They are close relatives that were once treated as one species. Sedum glaucophyllum tends to have slightly bluer, broader leaves and comes from the Appalachian mountains, while true Sedum nevii is rarer and found further south. For gardeners the care is identical.
Why are my Sedum nevii rosettes stretching?
Stretched, open rosettes are a sign of too little light. Move the plant somewhere brighter, ideally with direct morning sun. The stretched stems will not tighten up again, but you can trim them off and root the tips to start fresh compact rosettes.
Can Sedum nevii grow indoors?
It can survive on a bright, cool windowsill but it is far happier outside. It needs a winter rest with cooler temperatures, and a warm room keeps it growing weakly. An unheated porch or greenhouse is a better compromise if you want it under cover.
Nevius' stonecrop is a lovely plant for anyone who enjoys small treasures grown at eye level. You can browse it with our other rosette-forming and creeping stonecrops in the Sedum collection, all potted up in free-draining compost ready for planting.