XGraptosedum
×Graptosedum is an intergeneric hybrid between the genera Graptopetalum and Sedum, two closely related groups in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae. These easy, fast-growing succulents combine the tidy pointed rosettes of Graptopetalum with the loose, trailing stems of Sedum, giving low mounds or hanging clusters of colourful, waxy rosettes that shift shade with the seasons and the light.
The multiplication sign in the name marks a hybrid of mixed parentage; you will often see it written simply as Graptosedum. Because these are hybrids rather than a true botanical genus, plants are usually sold under cultivar names rather than species names.
Description
×Graptosedum plants form small, star-shaped rosettes of thick, pointed leaves carried on stems that lengthen and trail or sprawl as the plant grows. Leaf colour is one of their main attractions and varies with the cultivar and growing conditions — dusky bronze, coppery orange, deep purple, powdery grey-blue or soft pinkish tones, often intensifying under bright light and cooler temperatures ("stress colour"). Many carry a fine waxy bloom that gives the leaves a matte, pastel finish. Small star-shaped flowers, typically white to pale yellow, appear on short stalks in spring.
Popular named plants include ×Graptosedum 'Bronze', ×Graptosedum 'California Sunset' (peachy-orange rosettes) and ×Graptosedum 'Vera Higgins' (a rich bronze-purple), among others.
Cultivation
These are among the most forgiving of the Crassulaceae and make excellent beginner succulents. Grow them in a gritty, fast-draining mix and give them as much bright light as you can — plenty of sun keeps the rosettes compact and brings out the strongest colour, while too little light causes the stems to stretch and green up (etiolation). Water thoroughly once the soil has dried out, then let it dry again; reduce water in winter. They tolerate a wide range of conditions but are not frost-hardy, so protect them from freezing.
Their trailing habit makes them well suited to hanging pots, the edges of mixed containers and rockeries. Over time the lower stems go bare as the plant grows; when a plant becomes leggy, simply behead the rosettes and re-root them.
Propagation
×Graptosedum is very easy to propagate vegetatively — a great trait for hybrids, which do not come true from seed. Stem cuttings and beheaded rosettes root readily after callusing (see Propagation — cuttings), and individual leaves laid on slightly moist mix will often strike new plantlets (see Propagation — leaf). Trailing stems may also root where they touch the soil.
See also
- Graptopetalum — one parent genus
- Sedum — the other parent genus
- ×Graptoveria — the related Graptopetalum × Echeveria hybrid
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — cuttings · Propagation — leaf