Scientitific Name
Sedum album (Also known as: Hardy baby tears.)
Description
Sedum album is a mat-forming succulent with creeping stems with short ascending non-flowering shoots bearing small green, often reddish leaves. It grows up to 10 cm tall. The leaves are fleshy, linear to ovate, smooth or sparsely hairy, up to 2.5 cm long and 2 cm wide. The flowering branches are erect and up to 30 cm long, with bracts similar to leaves. The small flowers are white or rarely pink, star-shaped with five petals, and appear in dense clusters in summer. The fruits are five united, many-seeded follicles with yellowish-brown seeds.
Watering
These plants have typical watering needs for succulents. Avoid overwatering by using the “soak and dry” method, where the soil is soaked with water, slowly drained, and left to dry out before watering again. Reduce watering in winter.
Fertilizing
Will benefit from a small amount of organic fertilizer in mid-spring when they start actively growing. Please remember, don’t fertilize it during its dormancy period, because too many nutrients that it can’t absorb may cause to its growth.
Light
Generally speaking, white stonecrop needs bright, transparent, scattered light. Without enough sunlight over time, the plant becomes spindley, the tissue becomes brittle, and the color fades slowly. The plant’s shape becomes loose, it turns green and yellow, and its resistance to disease decreases.
Strong summer sunlight may burn its leaves and stems. When exposed to the sun, it tends to grow slowly or not at all. Its leaves grow compactly and stems shorten, which results in a shorter plant. In some succulent plants, old leaves wither in summer and new leaves tend to be short and compact, showing a bare rod shape. In summer, set up a sunshade or move the potted plant indoors.
Soil
They are not particular about soil pH, but succulents require very porous soil with excellent drainage
Repotting
Should be repotted during the warm season. It should ensure the soil is dry while repotting the plant. Any old soil must be shaken off the roots before planting the plant in a new pot. Any dry or damaged roots should also be discarded in the process.
Temperature
s suitable to grow in mild temperature in spring and autumn, and does not have good resistance to extreme cold weather. If you are in a cold region, it is not recommended to plant it directly in the garden, but as a potted plant. When the temperature is higher than 30℃ in summer, succulent may enter its dormancy. When the temperature is lower than 5℃ in winter, it is recommended to move it indoors to avoid irreversible frostbite or even death. Its growing season is in spring and autumn, and it needs a little water; in summer and winter, when it enters the dormancy period, watering should be reduced.
Pests and Diseases
Plant is vulnerable to typical diseases like mealybug invasions and fungal diseases. In addition, overwatering may cause the roots to rot.
Transplanting
The perfect time to transplant your succulent is from mid-spring to late spring, offering milder temperatures for better root establishment. Always choose a location with well-drained soil and partial sun. If needed, provide some transplant care by watering gently to avoid root rot. Happy transplanting!