Let the lava flow with Lemon Coral sedum, a vibrant spiller in rock beds and containers

In December, Lemon Coral sedum is seen flowing over the rim container in a lava-like fashion. The color complements the Supertunia petunias.
In December, Lemon Coral sedum is seen flowing over the rim container in a lava-like fashion. The color complements the Supertunia petunias.

The world seems to have a fascination with volcanoes and even more so with flowing lava. We’ve got volcano lava cookware, lava salt lamps, lava rock mulch, some of my favorite glazed pottery designs are called lava flow as they mimic molten lava spilling over the rim. Then "The Garden Guy" posts to Facebook with what looks like lime green lava spilling over the rim of a container and the questions pour in, "WHAT IS THAT LIME?"

Despite a few columns through the years, it still seems that there is teaching yet to do, especially since there is a new crop of gardeners every year. The plant that looks like a lime green lava flow is Lemon Coral sedum. Though it looks like lava for much of the year, as it gets ready to bloom, it looks a little bushy. Then surprise, there are what appears to be a million tiny yellow flowers bringing in bees and butterflies.

Superbells calibrachoas and Lemon Coral sedums welcome visitors that walk this stairway for the distant swing.
Superbells calibrachoas and Lemon Coral sedums welcome visitors that walk this stairway for the distant swing.

Warning to the Industry(and you know who I mean). Don’t take away the bloom through innovative breeding. The blooms are beautiful and, of course, so is the lime green lava look. Lemon Coral sedum is still winning awards, such as in Top Performer Cincinnati Zoo and Perfect Score All Season in Penn State Trials. It is perennial in zones 7-11 and at the Garden Guy’s house where we have had some tough winters as of late. It even stays green. I give it a Perfect Score, too! Believe me when I say it is worth every penny if grown as an annual.

Then, I have one other message: There are those whiners out there ― raise your hand if you are one of them ― who boohoo complain that if I knock a branch off on the ground it roots and keeps living. Just accept you have become a Lemon Coral sedum farmer. My rock steps are even getting Lemon Coral sedum in the cracks and I love it! Can you imagine those lucky people who have rock gardens? (It is commonly called stonecrop.) Joking everyone, I know it is called stonecrop because some look like a stone on the ground.

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Lemon Coral sedum is also a most showy ground cover grown here among the rocks and pink blooming gaura.
Lemon Coral sedum is also a most showy ground cover grown here among the rocks and pink blooming gaura.

It is known botanically as Sedum mexicanum. It will get up to 10-inches tall and spread 14-inches. If you are wondering what you can do with it, try spiller, filler or thriller in mixed containers and in a bed, it will be the showiest groundcover you have ever grown. This is your plant for average soil. In fact, the fleshy leaves store water giving it the drought tolerance. It is NOT a bog garden plant.

I looked it up on Proven Winners and they’ve got 47 recipes ― Holy Wow! So, look for yourself. ‘The Garden Guy’ uses it with Supertunia petunias, Superbells calibrachoa, Heart to Heart caladiums, and ColorBlaze coleus. This is really a low maintenance plant. Here in mid-March, it is getting ready to bloom. They are starting to bush up and form buds. After they bloom, I usually pull or snip off the leggy remaining stems, and it quickly resumes its tight appearance. Lemon Coral sedum is like the key ingredient for all award-winning mixed container recipes. Try it this year and see for yourself.

All along this wall of colorful Supertunia petunias and Superbells calibrachoas the chartreuse colored Lemon Coral sedum seems to shout look at me.
All along this wall of colorful Supertunia petunias and Superbells calibrachoas the chartreuse colored Lemon Coral sedum seems to shout look at me.

Follow Norman Winter on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy for more photos and garden inspiration. See more columns by Norman at SavannahNow.com/lifestyle/home-garden/.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: garden guy says lemon coral sedum is ideal container ingredient