Sedum vs Echeveria: 4 Interesting Differences and Similarities
When you consider plants like Sedum and Echeveria, both of them are succulents. But both plants can be distinguished from one another because of
Sedum vs Echeveria: 4 Interesting Differences and Similarities
When you consider plants like Sedum and Echeveria, both of them are succulents. But both plants can be distinguished from one another because of their different colors, textures, foliage and flowers.
In this article, we have discussed all the information you need about Sedum vs Echeveria, the differences and similarities between the two and how to care for these plants.
Read on to learn all about them.
Sedum vs Echeveria: Differences
Belonging to the Crassulaceae family, Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants that are also known as stonecrop. The genus contains around 400 to 500 species.
The word “Sedum” comes from the Latin word “sedeo”, meaning “to sit” because sedums usually sit and sprawl over walls and rocks.
These plants are hardy, drought-tolerant succulents that are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but they are also found in South America and Africa in the Southern Hemisphere.
Belonging to the Crassulaceae family, Echeveria is a large genus of flowering plants that is native to the semi-arid desert regions of Mexico, Central America and the northwestern part of South America. Echeveria plants may be deciduous or evergreen.
Sedum plants come in varying heights, forms and colors. There are mainly two categories—upright Sedum and low-growing Sedum.
Upright Sedum usually grows as tall, upright clumps and produces large flowerheads comprising very small reddish-pink-colored flowers. These plants are suitable for pollinators or border gardens.
Although re-classified as “Hylotelephium”, upright Sedum is still referred to as a Sedum.
Low-growing Sedum grows up to a few inches in height and spreads along the ground, making it perfect for rock gardens, ground cover or dropping down a stone wall.
There are different types of Echeverias, where some are small in size and have subtle colors, others look like cabbage or lettuce heads with vibrantly colored, frilly heads.
3. Foliage and Flowers
Sedum plants have thick stems and fleshy leaves that come in various shapes right, from large, cylindrical or flattened to small and needle-like. Through the seasons, the foliage changes colors from blue to green, orange, yellow, purple and red.
The plant bears small 5-petaled star-shaped red, yellow, pink or white flowers that bloom in clusters during summer and fall.
The Echeveria plants come in colors like gray, blue and green. The leaves of the plant are usually plump, flesh and spoon-shaped.
The plant bears many bell-shaped red-, orange- or pink-colored flowers during the warmer months on short stalks or cymes that arise from compact rosettes. The rosettes of the Echeveria plant grow to a diameter of up to ¾ inches to 20 inches.
The plant often produces many offsets and the chicks grow from a base stem, all together in clumps.
4. US Hardiness Zones
Depending on the species, Sedums usually grow well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9.
Echeveria is hardy to the USDA zones 9 to 11.
130+ Attractive Sedum Varieties [With Pictures]
200+ Amazing Echeveria Succulents [With Pictures]
Sedum vs Echeveria: Similarities
Belonging to the Crassulaceae family, both Sedum and Echeveria are drought-tolerant, flowering succulents. Both have thick, fleshy leaves that store water and come in varying colors and textures.
Both succulents bear delicate flowers. Sedum and Echeveria are heat resistant, need plenty of sunlight and thrive with very little water.
And, all these aspects make both these succulents great for rock gardens, xeriscapes and they can also be grown in containers or pots.
How to Care For Sedum and Echeveria
Sedum and Echeveria are easy-to-grow. They are low-maintenance plants, which makes them great for growing outdoors, as well as indoors in containers.
In this section, we’ll discuss how to care for Sedum and Echeveria.
Sedums need at least 6 hours of sun and do well in areas having full sunlight. The plants can tolerate partial shade but don’t grow well in completely shaded