Sedum 'Blue Carpet' (Sedum hispanicum var. minus): Tiny Blue-Green Groundcover

Overview

Sedum 'Blue Carpet' is a diminutive, mat-forming selection of Sedum hispanicum var. minus, commonly called tiny buttons or Spanish stonecrop. Its tiny, bead-like leaves are an intense blue-green, forming a dense, succulent carpet just 2–5 cm tall. In summer, starry white flowers hover above the foliage.

Botanical Description

Leaves are cylindrical, 3–5 mm long, tightly packed on prostrate stems that root at nodes. The foliage maintains its blue-green color year-round in mild climates, taking on purple tones in cold winter weather. Flowers are five-petaled, white with pinkish keels, 5–6 mm wide, borne in small cymes from June to August.

Taxonomy

Family:	Crassulaceae (krass-yoo-LAY-see-ee)
Genus:	Sedum (SEE-dum)
Species:	hispanicum var. minus
Cultivar:	'Blue Carpet'

Cultivation Requirements

• Light: Full sun to light shade.
• Soil: Sharp drainage essential; gritty, sandy, or rocky soil.
• Water: Very low; drought-tolerant. Overwatering causes rot.
• Hardiness: USDA zones 4–9.

Garden Uses

Perfect for rock gardens, troughs, green roofs, between pavers, and as a living mulch in succulent containers. Tolerates light foot traffic. Combines beautifully with other low sedums, sempervivums, and small bulbs like species tulips. Deer and rabbit resistant.

Propagation

Easily propagated by division in spring or by stem cuttings. Simply detach a piece of mat and press into moist gritty mix; roots in weeks. Self-sows gently in favorable conditions.