What’s not to love about sedums? They’re drought tolerant, they attract pollinators, and they flower later in the season when not much else is going on in the garden. But they also have their drawbacks—namely, a proclivity to splay open (we’re looking at you, Autumn Joy) and look rather awful in some cases. But rest assured that today we’re talking about sedums that maintain a compact habit (whether they’re an upright or ground-cover type), still sport gorgeous flowers, and thrive in terrible conditions. If you have full sun, lean soil, and hate plants that need a lot of pampering, then this episode is for you.

Expert testimony: Sandy McDougle is the founder and owner of Sandy’s Plants in in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

Danielle’s Plants

‘Boogie Woogie’ sedum (Sedum ‘Boogie Woogie’, Zones 3–9)

‘Night Light’ sedum (Sedum ‘Night Light’, Zones 3–9)

‘Plum Dazzled’ sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Plum Dazzled’, Zones 4–9)

‘Carl’ sedum (Hylotelephium telephium ‘Carl’, Zones 3–9)

Carol’s Plants

‘Matrona’ sedum (Hylotelephium telephium ‘Matrona’, Zones 3–9)

‘Blue Spruce’ creeping sedum (Sedum reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’, Zones 4–9)

Dragon’s blood sedum (Sedum spurium ‘Schorbuser Blut’, Zones 4–9)

‘Angelina’ sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Zones 5–9)

Expert’s Plants

‘Dazzleberry’ sedum (Sedum ‘Dazzleberry’, Zones 4–9)

Goldmoss sedum (Sedum acre, Zones 4–9)

Chinese sedum (Sedum tetractinum, Zones 4–8)

‘Weihenstephaner’s Gold’ sedum (Sedum kamtschaticum var. floriferum ‘Weihenstephaner’s Gold’, Zones 3–8)