Stonecrop (Sedum acre 'Oktoberfest')
Discover Sedum acre 'Oktoberfest', a tough, low-maintenance Stonecrop perfect for ground cover, featuring creamy white summer blooms.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’, a variety of the resilient Stonecrop, is prized by gardeners for its incredibly low maintenance requirements and striking mat-forming habit. This tiny, evergreen succulent perennial spreads vigorously, creating a dense, moss-like ground cover ideal for challenging landscape conditions. Its ability to thrive where other plants falter makes it an invaluable addition to xeriscaping projects.
The chief aesthetic appeal of this particular cultivar, Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’, is its summer bloom of creamy white flowers, contrasting with the typically yellow flowering species. As a true ground cover, it establishes quickly, colonizing areas across the ground up to two feet wide, providing year-round texture with its dense coverage of small, pale green leaves.
Beyond its tolerance for heat and poor soil, this Stonecrop offers practical benefits like suppressing weed growth once established and handling incidental foot traffic. It is an excellent choice for gardeners seeking vibrant, resilient texture that requires minimal watering or cultural coddling.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Crassulaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0-0.25 ft
- Spread: 1-2 ft
- Bloom Time: June to August
- Bloom Description: Greenish-yellow to creamy white
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Dry to medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Plant Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ during the spring or fall, ensuring the location provides full sun exposure for the best performance, though it tolerates light shade well. This Stonecrop is highly adaptable; it thrives in shallow, rocky, limestone to sandstone soils with dry to medium moisture levels and low fertility. Good drainage is entirely crucial, even though it tolerates dry sites exceptionally well.
Once established, this perennial seldom needs supplementary watering; rely on natural rainfall unless you are experiencing prolonged, severe drought. Fertilizing is generally unnecessary, as rich soils can lead to overly lush growth and reduced hardiness. If necessary, use a minimal amount of standard, low-nitrogen fertilizer sparingly.
Maintenance is exceptionally low for Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’. Plants freely self-seed, which helps rapidly fill in desired areas. You can easily propagate new patches by simply breaking off a stem segment and pressing it into the soil—it roots readily. This plant handles heat and poor soil conditions admirably, spreading fast in optimal environments.
Landscape Uses
The primary role of Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ is as an excellent ground cover, forming a dense, creeping carpet that naturalizes beautifully across sunny, dry expanses. Its low stature makes it perfect for sunny border fronts where taller plants might overshadow it, or for softening the edges of rock gardens and retaining walls.
Because of its unique ability to manage hot, poor sites, consider using this Stonecrop as a durable lawn substitute where foot traffic is minimal and traditional turf struggles. It performs excellently when massed across large areas, effectively suppressing weeds while minimizing water consumption—a perfect low-water solution.
For rock gardens or along walkways, Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ provides year-round visual interest. Site it where its tight foliage and seasonal creamy white flowers can be appreciated up close, or allow its spreading nature to tumble over the edges of containers placed in full sun.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Sedum acre, commonly called common stonecrop or gold moss stonecrop, is a tiny, rhizomatous, tuberous-rooted, carpet-forming, evergreen succulent perennial which typically grows to only 3” tall but spreads in a moss-like fashion along the ground to 24” or more to form an interesting and often impressive ground cover. Plants are thickly clothed with blunt, conical, pale green leaves (each to only 1/4” long). The cultivar ‘Oktoberfest’ is specifically noted for its desirable creamy white flowers that bloom throughout the summer months.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Shallow-Rocky Soil
Potential Problems
This variety of Stonecrop is generally revered for having no serious insect or disease problems, significantly reducing the need for chemical intervention. Gardeners should remain vigilant, however, concerning common garden nuisances like slugs and snails, which can chew on the succulent foliage, especially in overly damp conditions. Occasionally, scale insects may also appear but rarely cause significant long-term damage to healthy, dry-growing mats of Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Stonecrop suitable for?
Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ is reliably hardy across USDA Zones 4 through 9.
How large does Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ grow?
This is a very low-growing perennial, typically reaching only 0 to 0.25 feet in height, but it spreads outwards to cover an area between 1 and 2 feet wide.
When does Stonecrop bloom?
This resilient Stonecrop shows best flower performance from June through August, displaying small, star-shaped flowers that are creamy white on the ‘Oktoberfest’ cultivar.
What sun exposure does Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ need?
For optimal health and flowering, Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ requires full sun exposure, although it exhibits good tolerance for light shade.
Conclusion
For gardeners seeking ultra-low maintenance ground cover that thrives in neglect, Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ is a top contender. Its drought tolerance and ability to colonize poor, rocky soils ensure continuous textural interest throughout the season, highlighted by its late summer creamy white blooms. Check your local hardiness zone compatibility and plant this tough Stonecrop now to enjoy beautiful, minimal-effort coverage.
Propagation Tips
One of the simplest aspects of growing this Stonecrop is its fantastic ease of propagation. Unlike many perennials that require precise division or seed starting, Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ readily multiplies from stem cuttings. Simply snapping off a viable segment of the stem or foliage patch and sticking it into well-draining soil can result in a new, established plant within weeks. This method is rapid and highly effective for quickly covering bare spots or sharing the beautiful foliage with fellow gardeners.
For larger-scale coverage, allowing the plants to mature naturally will result in self-seeding, though this process is slower than direct insertion of cuttings. Since the plants form thick mats, you can also lift squares of established growth in spring or early fall and transplant them directly to fill gaps where established Stonecrop is desired, treating it almost like sod.
Companion Planting
Due to its requirement for bright sun and drastically dry, well-drained soil, companion plants for Sedum acre ‘Oktoberfest’ must share these stringent cultural needs. Excellent neighbors include other drought-tolerant succulents, such as taller upright Sedums (like Sedum telephium varieties) or Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks), which create textural contrast.
For a classic rock garden look, pair this creeping Stonecrop with alpine plants or low-growing Mediterranean herbs that dislike rich, constantly moist conditions. Good companions include creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), various low-growing Dianthus, or ornamental grasses that tolerate lean soils. Avoid moisture-loving plants, as sitting near soggy roots will quickly lead to rot in this succulent perennial.
