Sedum

Sedum
Sedum ternatum

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Maybe not the most spectacular of wildflowers, but you'll come across it often enough. If you see a mat of ground-cover composed of small round fleshy leaves (almost like a succulent) then it's Sedum. It usually grows in patches that get more sun and wind, often on rocks or in rocky locations. This particular species has leaves that are anywhere for 1/4" to 3/4" long. They are mostly opposite or whorled around the stem, but near the flowers they can be alternate. The flowers are numerous - they look like little stars, consisting of 4 or 5 creamy-white petals. I've seen at least one other sedum species in our area, but it is much less common, and I'm not sure of the species - it has much, much larger leaves and flowers. If you're visiting Mount Mitchell or Grandfather Mountain, you might see Sedum rosea, also known as Roseroot. It is a large Sedum with rosy-colored flower clusters that bloom in summer.

A note on the nomenclature (naming conventions) on this site: Scientific names and classifications are constantly being argued and changed, and it drives me nuts. Although I use many different sources for knowledge, for naming consistency I use the "Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" by Radford, Ahles and Bell, 1968 edition. This book is a well-established authority for the plants of our region and I've been using it for years. If for some reason I must use a different source for a particular plant, I will make note of it within the descriptive text. Don't like it? Tough!

fdudley@weaversites.com

Fiona Dudley
Weaversites
986 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville NC 28787

828-231-1501