You just don’t mess with stonecrop. The name says it all: this is one tough plant! It can survive in drought conditions, and it also shrugs off intense heat. Still, that leaves the question of cold hardiness.
So, can stonecrop tolerate cold? Many stonecrop varieties tolerate intense cold, surviving in USDA Hardiness Zone 4 (down to -30 Fahrenheit or -34 Celsius). Some stonecrop varieties survive in Zone 3 (down to -40 Fahrenheit or -40 Celsius). For frost-sensitive varieties, a row cover helps if you live in an area with severe cold.
Some stonecrop varieties can handle intense cold better than others. You can see this in the USDA hardiness zones for a given variety.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at stonecrop cold tolerance and what happens if they are exposed to frost or freezing temperatures. We’ll also look at ways to keep stonecrop alive if you live in the coldest regions.
Let’s get started.
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Can Stonecrop Tolerate Cold? (Sedum Cold Tolerance)
Many stonecrop varieties can tolerate cold – perhaps more than you think! This incredible plant is winter hardy in many areas that face long months of freezing temperatures.
Specifically, most stonecrop varieties can survive in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through Zone 9 or 10. Zone 4 can see temperatures as cold as -30 Fahrenheit (-34 Celsius).
Some stonecrop varieties (such as Autumn Joy or Angelina) can survive in Zone 3, where temperatures may sink as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius) in winter.
Note that Zone 3 is cooler than Zone 4, Zone 4 is cooler than Zone 5, and so on. (You can look at a map to find your hardiness zone – and learn more about USDA Hardiness Zones – here).
As you can see, stonecrop can survive some serious cold in winter! Still, preparation is the key for any plant to make it through winter and grow well in the spring.
In cool climates (zone 5 or colder), try to give your stonecrop more sun. This will improve its ability to survive the winter.
(By the way: you can learn more about sun requirements for stonecrop here).
Can Sedum Tolerate Frost?
Sedum (stonecrop) can tolerate frost. Frost means a temperature of around 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). Many stonecrop varieties can survive temperatures well into negative territory (some as cold as -40 Fahrenheit or -40 Celsius).
There is no need to worry about stonecrop due to a frost or freeze. However, if you live in a very cold USDA Zone (1 or 2, for example), you might need to protect your stonecrop from cold.
What Is The Lowest Temperature Stonecrop Can Tolerate?
Most stonecrop varieties can survive temperatures down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 degrees Celsius).
Some varieties can tolerate temperatures down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius).
If you keep your stonecrop in a reasonably sized pot, you can bring it inside in the winter to avoid extreme cold. If not, you might want to try a row cover on the coldest nights to keep the plant a little warmer (a heavy row cover can provide 6 to 10 degrees of frost protection).
If you live in Zone 3, choose stonecrop varieties that are hardy to Zone 3 (-40 Fahrenheit).
If you live in Zone 2, choose stonecrop varieties that are hardy to Zone 3 (-40 Fahrenheit) and use a heavy row cover to give them a chance to survive in winter.
If you live in Zone 1, you might not have any choice but to keep stonecrop in pots and bring them indoors during the coldest part of winter.
What Do You Do With Stonecrop In The Winter?
Stonecrop is a drought tolerant succulent, so it doesn’t need much water to begin with. When it slows or stops growth for winter, you should slow down watering to avoid rot.
In USDA Hardiness Zones 4 and above, you should be able to leave stonecrop out for the winter. It should survive the cold just fine.
In USDA Hardiness Zone 3, you might need to cover (or bring inside) any stonecrop varieties that are only hardy to Zone 4.
In USDA Hardiness Zone 2, choose stonecrop varieties that are hardy to Zone 3 (-40 Fahrenheit) and use a heavy row cover to give them a chance to survive outdoors in winter (or keep them in pots and bring them inside).
If you live in Zone 1, you might not have any choice but to keep stonecrop in pots and bring them indoors during the coldest part of winter.
Conclusion
Now you know just how much cold stonecrop can tolerate (a surprising amount!) and how to make sure your plant survives winter if you live in the really cold zones.
Remember that stonecrop enjoys sandy soil, since it drains well and is not heavy in nitrogen.
I hope you found this article helpful. If so, please share it with someone who can use the information.
You can learn about 10 good choices for sedum here if you want a creeping ground cover stonecrop.
You can also learn about 10 good choices for upright stonecrop if you want a taller succulent.
If you can’t find an area with at least partial sun, it is probably best to skip stonecrop and find something more shade tolerant. (On that note, you can find 10 great flowering ground cover plants for shady areas in this article).
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~Jonathon