Carpets of English Stonecrop flower from June to September on the rocks of The Lizard.
Photo: Amanda Scott
Scientific name: Sedum anglicum
Plants of the Stonecrop family (Crassulaceae) are all succulents. English Stonecrop, with its pink-tinged star-shaped white flowers appearing from June to September and reddish green leaves, is a common sight on the western coastal areas of Britain; it is also found, but much less frequently, on the south and east coasts. Its distribution covers much of Western Europe.
With a preference for thin acidic soils, it is generally a coastal plant of dry rocks and cliffs, although it is also sometimes found in inland quarries and dry grassland. English Stonecrop is low-growing and perennial in habit.
Did you know…?
…English Stonecrop likes to be in the sun and, like most succulents, can survive on only a little water: water is stored in its fleshy leaves
…the plant is attractive to bees and hoverflies and its stems provide a home for some species of beetles and bugs
More information and references:
Rose, F. and O’Reilly, C., 2006. The Wild Flower Key, 2nd edition. Frederick Warne, London.
Published: July 2013
Author: Amanda Scott
Photos: Amanda Scott