White stonecrop (Sedum album subsp. teretifolium 'Murale')
Sedum album subsp. teretifolium 'Murale' is a vigorous, low-growing White stonecrop perfect for rock gardens, offering tiny white flowers and excellent drought tolerance.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’, commonly known as White stonecrop, is a highly valuable, creeping, mat-forming evergreen succulent for contemporary and traditional gardens alike. This cultivar is prized for its incredibly low stature and ability to quickly spread, creating a dense, living carpet of foliage that barely rises above the soil line. It offers excellent visual texture, especially as its small, succulent leaves often exhibit attractive reddish-brown tinges during cooler months.
This White stonecrop variety, Sedum album subsp. Teretifolium ‘Murale’, performs exceptionally well in challenging, lean environments where many other ornamental plants struggle. It thrives in full sun and requires minimal supplemental water once established, making it an eco-friendly choice for xeriscaping or sunny slopes. Its practical nature is matched by its delicate beauty when it bursts into bloom with tiny, star-like white flowers.
Functionally, this plant excels as a tough ground cover or for filling crevices in rock walls. Gardeners appreciate the low maintenance needed for Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’, allowing it to effectively suppress weeds while maintaining a neat, dense appearance throughout the growing season.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Crassulaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0-0.25 ft
- Spread: 0.25-0.75 ft
- Bloom Time: May to June
- Bloom Description: White
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Dry to medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Plant Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’ during the spring or fall for the best establishment rates. Choose locations where it receives full sun, as this ensures the most compact growth and best foliage coloring. This White stonecrop thrives even in soils of low to moderate fertility, preferring well-drained, sandy structures.
Care for this succulent is remarkably simple. Water sparingly; while establishing, water deeply but infrequently. Once robust, its drought tolerance is significant, meaning it rarely requires supplemental irrigation, making it ideal for dry slopes. Fertilization is usually counterproductive, encouraging weak, floppy growth rather than the desired tight mat.
Detached leaves of this Stonecrop variety often possess the ability to root and form new plants, a characteristic that aids in propagation and filling in bare spots naturally. In late winter or early spring, perform a minimal cleanup, removing any dead debris, although heavy pruning is generally unnecessary due to its low, creeping habit.
Landscape Uses
The suggested uses for Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’ center heavily around its role as a durable, spreading ground cover. It is best when planted in groups or massed, rapidly covering bare earth to suppress weeds in challenging sunny areas. This low profile makes it perfect for softening the edges of hardscapes.
Consider planting the White stonecrop in rock gardens or along border fronts where its fine texture contrasts nicely with larger, bolder foliage plants. Its ability to naturalize means it is excellent for handling slopes or naturalized areas without becoming invasive in a detrimental way, fitting seamlessly into informal designs.
For structural definition, use Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’ to edge pathways where foot traffic is minimal, or allow it to spill over the sides of retaining walls. Its structure provides year-round coverage when most perennials enter dormancy.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Sedum album, commonly known as white stonecrop, is a creeping, mat-forming, evergreen sedum or stonecrop that is native to Europe, Siberia, western Asia and north Africa. It has escaped gardens and naturalized in Ontario, Quebec, northeastern to northcentral U.S., British Columbia south to California plus Utah. Tiny, star-like, white flowers in clusters (paniculate cymes) bloom in mid-summer above the foliage mat. The cultivar ‘Murale’ typically grows to only 3” tall and will spread somewhat indefinitely to form an interesting ground cover.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Shallow-Rocky Soil
- Air Pollution
Potential Problems
This particular variety of White stonecrop, Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’, generally exhibits excellent health and displays no serious insect or disease problems when sited correctly. The primary issue revolves around overwatering or planting in heavy, poorly draining clay soils.
If planted in overly rich or wet conditions, the succulent foliage may become overly lush, leading to rot or susceptibility to slugs in damp environments. Ensure rapid drainage remains the priority for successful, low-maintenance cultivation of this species.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is White stonecrop suitable for?
Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’ is highly adaptable, thriving across USDA Zones 3 through 9.
How large does Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’ grow?
This cultivar is very short, typically reaching a maximum height of only 0.25 feet, with a spread ranging between 0.25 and 0.75 feet.
What sun exposure does White stonecrop need?
This plant requires full sun exposure to maintain its tight growth habit and stress coloring.
When does Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’ bloom?
The bloom time for this stonecrop is generally from May to June, producing masses of white flowers.
Conclusion
Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’ is an indispensable, tough, evergreen performer, ideal for gardeners seeking year-round texture and minimal resource use. Its rapid mat-forming habit and tolerance for dry, shallow soils confirm its status as a superior landscape accent. Check your garden’s sun exposure and drainage capabilities, and incorporate this outstanding White stonecrop into your rockeries or borders this season.
Propagation Tips
Propagation for this White stonecrop is exceptionally simple, often requiring no intentional effort beyond standard maintenance. The plant readily propagates via vegetative means, primarily through detached stem portions or individual leaves that fall onto suitable substrate.
To intentionally propagate Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’, simply take cuttings or pull off healthy leaves during the growing season. Allow the cuttings or leaves to callous over for a day or two in a dry spot before placing them directly onto well-draining, gritty soil in part-shade conditions.
Keep the soil barely moist during this rooting period. Within a few weeks, small roots and new rosettes will begin to form, creating new, genetically identical specimens for expanding your coverage areas or sharing your tough Sedum album subsp. Teretifolium ‘Murale’ ground cover.
Companion Planting
When selecting companions for Sedum album subsp. teretifolium ‘Murale’, focus on plants sharing its requirements for full sun and dry, lean soil conditions. Alpines and other xeriscaping favorites pair excellently with this creeping stonecrop.
Good partners include other low-growing succulents like various Sedum species (e.g., Sedum reflexum varieties) or hardy Sempervivum cultivars, creating a tapestry of succulent textures. Taller, drought-tolerant companions like Lavender (Lavandula) or Thyme (Thymus) act as excellent vertical accents nearby.
Avoid pairing White stonecrop with moisture-loving perennials, as excess water intended for them will spoil the well-drained environment that Sedum album subsp. Teretifolium ‘Murale’ requires to maintain its compact form and robust health.
