Stonecrop (Sedum makinoi 'Ogon')
Sedum makinoi 'Ogon' is a brilliant gold groundcover Stonecrop, excellent for pathways and rock gardens. Low maintenance with drought tolerance.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’, commonly known as Stonecrop, provides exceptional, year-round color courtesy of its striking, bright gold foliage. This dense, creeping mat forms a visually appealing textural element in the garden, making it highly valued among modern landscape designers. Its diminutive stature ensures it stays low to the ground, effectively covering bare soil where larger plants cannot thrive.
This herbaceous perennial is recognized for its extremely low maintenance needs, tolerating dry conditions once established. While generally tough, Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ benefits from protection in zones near its lower hardiness limit, demonstrating adaptability across a wide range of light conditions from full sun to partial shade. Its golden hue truly illuminates darker garden corners.
As an excellent ground cover, this Stonecrop suppresses weeds while adding consistent, vibrant color along paths and borders. Enjoy the tiny, star-like, yellow-green blooms that appear briefly in late summer, adding subtle texture to the brilliant foliage display of Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Crassulaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 6-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0-0.25 ft
- Spread: 0.25-1 ft
- Bloom Time: August
- Bloom Description: Yellow-green
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Dry to medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ is best achieved in spring or early fall, allowing the roots time to establish before extreme summer heat or winter cold sets in. Success hinges on ensuring excellent drainage; this Stonecrop absolutely requires well-drained soils, whether they are average, rocky, or sandy. Site this plant in full sun, but be mindful that in hotter regions, some afternoon shade is beneficial for maintaining peak leaf color and preventing scorching.
Care for this variety is simple, reflecting its low maintenance classification. Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings, as it thrives in dry to medium moisture conditions. Fertilizing is rarely necessary, as high fertility can sometimes diminish the intensity of the golden coloration. Pruning is generally avoided; simply allow the dense mat, typical of Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’, to spread naturally.
A crucial consideration for gardeners, particularly in cooler parts of its range like the St. Louis area mentioned in cultural notes, is winter hardiness. In borderline zones, site this Stonecrop in protected locations—perhaps tucked against a south-facing wall—or treat it as an annual or container plant that can be moved indoors or sheltered during harsh winters. This small, creeping Stonecrop is otherwise very heat and drought tolerant.
Landscape Uses
The spreading habit of Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ makes it an invaluable ground cover, creating a living carpet of gold across the landscape. It performs exceptionally well when naturalized between stepping stones or flagstone pavers, softening hard edges beautifully. Its ability to spread to about 1 foot wide allows it to quickly fill in gaps where turf struggles or where a low border is needed.
In rock gardens, this tiny sedum mingles perfectly with larger succulents, alpines, and ornamental grasses, showcasing its fine texture against coarser foliage. Furthermore, utilize its trailing nature to spill enchantingly over the edges of retaining walls or container arrangements. The vibrant leaf color ensures that even when not in bloom, Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ provides significant visual impact.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
‘Ogon’ is a tiny-leaved spreading ground cover sedum that is noted for its bright gold foliage. It typically forms a dense mat growing to only 2” high and creeping to 12” wide or more. Individual rounded leaves are only 1/4” wide. Best golden leaf color usually occurs with some part afternoon shade. Leaf color gives rise to the sometime used common name of Japanese golden sedum for this plant. Tiny, star-like, yellow-green flowers appear in summer.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
- Air Pollution
Potential Problems
This Stonecrop variety generally exhibits excellent pest and disease resistance, meaning serious problems are uncommon in well-drained, appropriate settings. Gardeners should primarily monitor winter survival if growing near the lower limit of its USDA hardiness range (Zone 6). If winter die-back occurs, ensure the soil retains good drainage year-round, as overly wet, cold soil is the leading cause of stress for most sedums, including this creeping type.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Stonecrop suitable for?
Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ is reliably hardy in USDA Zones 6 through 9. Always ensure adequate site protection if planting in Zone 6 environments.
How large does Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ grow?
This plant is exceptionally low-growing, typically reaching only 0 to 0.25 feet tall, but it spreads horizontally between 0.25 and 1 foot wide, forming a dense mat.
What sun exposure does Stonecrop need?
It prefers full sun but performs optimally with some afternoon shade, especially in climates that experience intense summer heat, which helps preserve the vibrant gold color of its foliage.
When does Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ bloom?
Flowers appear in August. The bloom description for this Stonecrop is yellow-green, featuring tiny, star-like shapes.
Conclusion
Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ offers gardeners a low-effort, high-reward solution for ground cover needs, celebrated for its intensely bright, low-growing foliage. Utilizing this drought-tolerant Stonecrop ensures year-round texture and color in challenging spots. Before planting, confirm your locale falls within USDA Zones 6-9 and ensure your soil offers the necessary drainage for long-term success.
Companion Planting
Because Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ thrives in dry, well-drained conditions and tolerates low fertility, select companions that share these xeriscaping requirements. Pair it with other tenacious rock garden inhabitants such as hardy Sempervivum varieties or various low-growing Thyme species (Thymus serpyllum). These pairings respect the low water needs of the Stonecrop while providing contrasting textures and shapes in your display.
Avoid pairing this golden groundcover with moisture-loving perennials; excess humidity or standing water will quickly compromise the health of the Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’. Its small scale also makes it an ideal “filler” between larger, more architectural succulents like certain small Agave or Yucca cultivars, providing a soft, golden base layer.
Propagation Tips
Propagation of this rapidly spreading Stonecrop is wonderfully easy, requiring minimal effort from the gardener. The most efficient method is simple vegetative division or taking stem cuttings, as the plant readily roots along its creeping stems. Even small sections of stem detached during routine maintenance or weeding can be placed directly onto dry soil, where they will quickly establish roots forming new patches of golden ground cover.
During the growing season, you can gently pull apart the dense mats of Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’ to create new, ready-to-plant divisions. Ensure each small piece retained a few attached leaves, although the plant is forgiving. Plant these divisions with minimal fanfare directly into their new, well-drained locations; heavy watering is not required for establishment.
