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Sedum spathulifolium - Hook.

Broadleaf Stonecrop

Author	Hook.	Botanical references	60, 200
Family	Crassulaceae	Genus	Sedum
Synonyms
Known Hazards	Although not poisonous, if large quantities of this plant are eaten it can cause a stomach upset[62, 85].
Range	Western N. America - British Columbia to California.
Habitat	Coastal cliffs and ledges, or in the gravelly soil of the foothills[60].
Edibility Rating	1 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Perennial growing to 0.05m by 0.5m.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats

Ground Cover; East Wall In; South Wall In; West Wall In;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves.

Leaves - raw or cooked. They are best used before the plant flowers[172].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Antihaemorrhoidal; Birthing aid; Galactogogue; Haemostatic; Laxative; Salve; Sedative.

The leaves are antihaemorrhoidal, galactogogue and haemostatic[257]. The leaves can be eaten, or a poultice of the warmed leaves applied to the breasts, in order to stimulate the milk flow of a nursing mother[257]. The juice of the leaves and stems has been rubbed over bleeding wounds to stop the bleeding[257]. A decoction of the stems has been drunk by a woman in the ninth month of her pregnancy in order to ease childbirth[257]. A decoction of the whole plant has been given to children as a treatment for constipation and has been used as a wash to soothe nervous and irritable babies[257]. The plant is used as a treatment for sore gums[257].

Other Uses

Ground cover.

Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position[197]. It requires weeding for the first year or so[197]. Plants are best spaced about 30cm apart each way[208].

Cultivation details

A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils[188] but prefers a fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position[200]. Tolerates some shade[188]. Established plants are drought tolerant[200]. Succeeds in poor soils and on walls[200]. Hardy to at least -15°c[200]. All members of this genus are said to have edible leaves, though those species, such as this one, that have yellow flowers can cause stomach upsets if they are eaten in quantity[62, 85]. Plants in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If sufficient growth is made, it is possible to plant them out during the summer, otherwise keep them in a cold-frame or greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in early summer of the following year[K]. Division is very easy and can be carried out at almost any time in the growing season, though is probably best done in spring or early summer. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Ground cover plants..

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[60] Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955
A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.

[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.

[85] Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. 0
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[197] Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989 ISBN 0-304-31089-1
A handy little booklet from the R.H.S.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

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