Sedum album ‘Murale’ [SEE-dum AL-bum] is an herbaceous perennial succulent member of the family Crassulaceae which is native to North Africa, western Asia, Siberia, and Europe.
The plant is from the Sedum plant genus along with:
- Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)
- Gold Moss sedum (Sedum acre)
- Jellybean succulent (Sedum rubrotinctum)
Sedum is derived from the Latin word, sedeo, which means “to sit.“
The genus name refers to the plant’s sitting and sprawling growth habit.
You may also hear this plant referred to as Sedum album ‘Coral Carpet’ or White Stonecrop.
Sedum Album Care
Size & Growth
Sedum album ‘Coral Carpet’ grows to a height of 3″ – 6″ inches with a light growth rate.
Individual plants spread between 1′ – 2′ feet.
Its foliage color is bright green and it grows very densely.
The succulent leaves of Sedum album are small, flat, and oblong.
When the weather turns cool, the green leaves transition to an attractive shade of reddish-brown bloom color, hence the common name Coral Carpet.
Flowering & Fragrance
During its early summer bloom time, White Sedum album Stonecrop produces very small, star-shaped white flowers in thick, abundant clusters known as paniculate cymes.
The pretty, fragrant white blossoms rise above the mat of foliage and are very attractive to pollinators such as butterflies and bees.
When rambling over a rock wall or when planted in a hanging basket, the clusters of flowers spill over dramatically.
Light & Temperature
For best growth, blooms, and color, plant Sedum album in bright light or best in full sun.
The plant can tolerate very light shade, but it’s not as impressive without full sun.
It’s remarkably heat and drought tolerant once established.
The plant is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8.
Watering & Feeding
This drought-tolerant plant does best with occasional deep watering.
Once established, you may not need to water it at all as long as your area receives a reasonable amount of rain.
As with most succulents, fertilizing Sedum album is not required.
Outdoors, the plant’s rambling habits take it to new sources of nourishment.
If you’re keeping White Stonecrop as a houseplant or container plant, you’ll find you need to repot it at least annually because of its enthusiastic reproductive habits.
The fresh potting substrate should provide all the nourishment this hardy succulent needs.
Soil & Transplanting
Sharp drainage is the most important soil factor.
Sedum album does best in gravelly, sandy, well-draining soil, but it will tolerate almost any kind of soil including sand, loam, clay or even chalky soil.
It thrives in a wide range of pH levels from very alkaline to very acidic.
Grooming & Maintenance
All sedum succulents need very little maintenance or grooming.
Naturally, you’ll want to pluck or clip away any leaves withering or dying.
When the plant has finished flowering, cut it back.
For the most part, stonecrop can thrive on neglect under very poor conditions, as long as those conditions don’t include excessive watering and lack of sunlight.
How To Propagate White Stonecrop
It is easy to propagate Sedum album by just about any method.
It’s grown through division, cuttings, or seed.
If left to its own devices, the plant will ramble along the ground taking root as it goes.
If you want to encourage your sedum to spread, or if you want to create individual pots and containers, all you need to do is take clippings and lay them on top of the soil.
Everywhere the cutting touches the soil, roots will begin to grow, and a new plant will form.
If you want to encourage quicker rooting, sprinkle a thin layer of soil over the cutting.
Sedum Pest or Disease Problems
This cheery little trooper experiences few if any disease and pest problems.
As with most succulents, overwatering can cause root rot and may attract snails and slugs to outdoor plants.
Succulents compromised by overwatering may also be attractive to scale insects. Learn more about controlling scales on plants.
Is Sedum Toxic Or Poisonous?
All parts of sedum are considered poisonous because they contain alkaloids such as sedamine and sedine, but the risk of toxicity is quite low.
If ingested raw, these alkaloids may cause gastrointestinal distress.
Interestingly, tender young sedum leaves are not poisonous and may be added to salads and soups.
Older leaves may be rendered harmless by cooking and may also be eaten.
Leaves on plants in flower should not be eaten under any circumstances.
Is Sedum Invasive?
Coral Carpet is considered quite invasive in areas where it is winter hardy.
In parts of Utah, California, British Columbia, the northern United States, Ontario and Québec this plant has escaped domestic settings and become naturalized.
Suggested Coral Carpet Uses
This attractive, versatile succulent from the family Crassulaceae is used in a wide variety of ways.
It is tolerant of many different adverse circumstances, such as:
- Rocky, Shallow Soil
- Rabbits & Deer
- Air Pollution
- Drought
- Dry Soil
For this reason, it makes an excellent choice for naturalizing in challenging settings.
Coral Carpet can make a very attractive ground cover, or border plant and does well on green roofs, and looks good in rock gardens.
It is rugged enough to be planted between stepping stones or in areas where it may get some foot traffic, such as the front borders of flowerbeds.
It makes a pretty addition along stonewalls and ledges.
It cascades prettily over the edges of containers and hanging baskets.