Sedum treleasei
| Light | Bright light to full sun; some afternoon shade in the hottest climates |
|---|---|
| Water | Regular in the growing season, allowing the soil to dry between waterings; sparing in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Best above freezing; protect from hard frost, USDA zones 9a–11 |
| Propagation | Very easy from stem and leaf cuttings, and from offsets |
| Toxicity | Generally considered non-toxic and low-risk to pets |
Sedum treleasei is a robust, shrubby stonecrop from Mexico grown for its thick, chunky, pale blue-green leaves crowded along stout upright stems. It is one of the more forgiving and easygoing members of the genus Sedum, tolerant of neglect and quick to fill out, which makes it a favourite for beginners and for filling containers and rockeries.
Description
Sedum treleasei forms a low, branching subshrub whose stout stems become woody and slightly leaning with age, often to around 20–30 cm tall. The leaves are its main attraction: thick, plump and oblong, somewhat flattened above and rounded below, blunt-tipped and packed closely toward the stem tips in a loose rosette-like cluster. Their colour is a soft, chalky blue-green, dusted with a light farina (a natural waxy bloom) that rubs off to a fingerprint and gives the plant a frosted look.
In late winter to spring, established plants send up stalks up to about 15 cm long bearing small, star-shaped yellow flowers. The overall impression is of a sturdy, chunky-leaved plant rather than a delicate one — closer in feel to an Echeveria or Pachyphytum than to the fine creeping sedums.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to Mexico, recorded from the states of Puebla and Oaxaca, where it grows in seasonally dry, subtropical country. Like many chunky-leaved Mexican succulents, it stores water in its fleshy leaves to ride out dry spells, and appreciates sharp drainage and bright exposure.
Cultivation
Sedum treleasei is one of the easiest succulents to keep, which is much of its charm. Give it a bright spot — full sun to very bright light — where good light keeps the growth compact and the leaves tightly packed; in too little light the stems stretch and the leaves space out (etiolation). A little shade from the fiercest afternoon sun helps in very hot climates.
Plant it in a free-draining, gritty mix and water thoroughly during the growing season once the soil has dried, then ease right back through winter when the plant is resting. It is forgiving of occasional missed waterings thanks to its water-storing leaves, but like all succulents it resents sitting wet. Protect it from hard frost; where winters are cold it is easily grown in a pot and moved under cover. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Handle the leaves gently — the powdery bloom that gives them their blue cast is easily marked and does not grow back on that leaf.
Propagation
Propagation could hardly be simpler. The plump leaves root readily when laid on a barely-moist gritty surface, and stem cuttings root quickly once the cut end has been allowed to callus for a day or two. Offsets and side branches can also be detached and potted up. See Propagation — leaf, Propagation — cuttings and Propagation — offsets for full walkthroughs.
Common problems
- Etiolation — the most common complaint; insufficient light stretches the stems and spaces the leaves out, losing the plant's chunky, compact look.
- Rot — from overwatering or a slow-draining mix, especially in winter; stems and leaves go soft and translucent.
- Marked bloom — the frosted farina rubs off wherever the leaves are touched, leaving glossy fingerprints that persist until new growth replaces the leaf.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff tucked between the leaves) and the occasional aphid on flower stalks are the usual visitors; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Sedum — the genus overview
- Echeveria · Pachyphytum — similarly chunky-leaved relatives
- Propagation — leaf · Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering