# white stonecrop (*Sedum album*)

White stonecrop is a cheerful little plant with tiny, star-shaped white flowers. It loves to grow in sunny places and can often be found in gardens and rocky areas.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![white stonecrop](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sedum_album.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Franz Xaver, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sedum_album.jpg)

## Appearance

The white stonecrop is a low-growing succulent plant with tiny, plump green leaves that often turn reddish in full sun. It produces clusters of small, star-shaped white flowers atop slender stalks, creating a carpet-like appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Saxifragales
- **Family:** Crassulaceae
- **Genus:** Sedum

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Romans sometimes used stonecrop plants for their supposed medicinal powers.
- Its scientific name, Sedum, means 'to sit' because it often sits on rocks!
- Some people call it 'stone orpine' because it loves growing on stones and walls!
- This tiny plant can help stop soil from washing away with its strong roots.

## Special abilities

- **Water Hoarder:** White stonecrop has fleshy leaves that store water, helping it survive long dry spells without rain.
- **Rapid Sprouter:** White stonecrop can sprout new plants from tiny stem pieces, helping it spread quickly in new areas.
- **Rock Dweller:** White stonecrop can thrive in very thin, rocky soils, allowing it to grow where other plants cannot.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Spread:** 15-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-0.8 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits its tiny white flowers
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — gathers nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — sometimes grazes on its leaves

## Traits

- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Succulent](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/succulent): Succulent plants have thickened, fleshy parts, usually leaves or stems, adapted to store water in arid climates.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify white stonecrop?

Compare leaf arrangement, rosette shape, ribs, spines and flowers. Keep in mind that drought and strong sun can shift a plant's color and shape. Succulent Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is white stonecrop?

5-20 cm

### How wide does white stonecrop spread?

15-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on white stonecrop?

0.5-0.8 cm

### When does white stonecrop bloom?

Summer

### Is white stonecrop edible?

Yes

### Is white stonecrop toxic?

None

### What is white stonecrop's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Mount Philo State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-philo-state-park) — Vermont, US · State Park
- [Naturpark Altmühltal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/altmuhl-valley-nature-park) — Bayern, DE · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [White Stonecrop: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-stonecrop)