Golden Sedum Care: Learn How To Grow Sedum Adolphii Plants

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Sedum aldophii is a beautiful perennial succulent native to Mexico commonly referred to as Golden Sedum.

It is part of the genus sedum and falls into the Crassulaceae family.

Sedum Adolphii aka GoldenPin
Sedum adolphii – image: Wikimedia Commons

It’s a popular succulent because of its attractive appearance and adds a lot of character to any garden.

Sedum Adolphii Plant Quick Care Tips

  • Botanical Name: Sedum adolphii
  • Common Name(s): Golden Sedum, Coppertone stonecrop
  • Synonyms: Sedum nussbaumerianum, Sedum adolphi
  • Pronunciation: SEE-dum ad-OL-fee-eye
  • Family & Origin: Crassulaceae family, native to Mexico and Honduras
  • Growability: Easy to grow and care for
  • Grow Zone: USDA zones 8-11
  • Size: Grows up to 10″-12″ inches tall and 2′ feet wide
  • Flowering: Produces star-shaped white and yellow flowers during late winter
  • Light: Full sun to partial shade
  • Humidity: Does well in 40-60% humidity levels
  • Temperature: Thrives in temperatures between 65° to 75° degrees Fahrenheit
  • Soil: Porous, well-draining, sandy mixture
  • Water: Water thoroughly when the soil is dry to the touch, but avoid overwatering
  • Fertilizer: Fertilize once a month during the growing season with a diluted fertilizer at ¼ strength
  • Pests & Diseases: Can be susceptible to mealybugs but generally not prone to diseases
  • Propagation: Can be propagated through stem cuttings or leaf cuttings
  • Plant Uses: Makes a great addition to succulent gardens, rock gardens, or as a houseplant. Can also be used in hanging baskets or as ground cover.

Caring For Golden Sedum Plants

Size and Growth

Golden sedum is a fast-growing and fast-spreading growth habit that grows to 10″-12″ inches tall.

It spreads to be about 2′ feet wide with beautiful rosettes about one and a half inches long.



As the succulent rosettes mature, they shed the older leaves on the soil and grow new leaves at the center.

Flowering and Fragrance

Sedum adolphii is characterized by fleshy evergreen leaves with a slight yellow-gold or pinkish tint.

The plant flowers with star-shaped white and yellow flowers during the late winter to spring.

Golden Sedum’s white flowers make this succulent even more attractive 

Light and Temperature

A light-loving plant, golden sedum enjoys full sun or partial shade. It should ideally get bright sunlight with at least six hours hours of direct sunlight.

The leaves also take on a slightly reddish-orange or gold tint when exposed to strong light.

Moreover, it can also be grown under a grow light if you don’t have enough sunlight.

The plant is tolerant to heat but not cold hardy, so if you live where temperatures drop below 20° degrees Fahrenheit, it is best to pot the plant indoors.

The ideal daytime temperature for this plant ranges between 65° to 75° degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures between 50° to 60° degrees Fahrenheit.

However, it does not grow quite as well indoors due to its high need for sunlight. Remember, this succulent thrives in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11.

Watering and Feeding

Sedum adolphii has the same watering needs as most succulents. It is sensitive to overwatering and needs ‘watering with care.’

Test the soil’s dryness before watering to ensure you do not end up overwatering.

The plant needs to be fed only during the active growing months of spring and summer. Once a month, using a diluted fertilizer at ¼ strength should suffice.

You can also feed with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks during the growing season.

Soil and Transplanting

Although this sedum can grow in most soil varieties, it is best to use a porous, well-draining, sandy mixture to avoid diseases that can happen in waterlogged soil. 

It also thrives in poor, sandy soils or porous soil with adequate drainage.

Adding compost, perlite, and sand to the succulent soil will protect your Sedum from root rot.

Add gravel for extra drainage.

When transplanting Sedum adolphii, make sure you plant it at the same depth in its new pot that was planted previously. When container-grown, ensure there are adequate drainage holes.

You should ideally divide your plant every four years to promote further growth.

Grooming and Maintenance

If your plant looks untidy, trim it back down.

NOTE: Sedum kamtschaticum is known as the golden creeping sedum

Propagating Golden Sedum

Sedum adolphii propagates easily due to its fast growth.

You can use either leaves or stem cuttings propagation method. 

To use cuttings, cut off a stem from the sedum using a pair of scissors or a sharp, sterile knife and allow the cut to dry over a few days.

Ensure to remove the lower leaves.

Once the cuts dry and callous over, lay it down on a bed of well-drained soil, and wait for roots to form.

Water it when the soil gets dry.

Sedum Adolphii Pest or Diseases

This plant is fairly resistant to pests and diseases.

However, it can develop diseases if left to grow in waterlogged soil.

Suggested Uses For Golden Sedum

There are many uses for the Golden Sedum due to its attractive appearance and easy maintenance.

It is ideal for rock gardens and as a drought-tolerant groundcover or a nice sunny spot where it can pair well with a variety of other sedums and flowering plants like Sedum Voodoo and Golden Goddess.

It can also be cultivated as a hanging plant or used for green roofing.

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