Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
Price range: Contact Us
Rating: 4.8/5

sedum carpet

Looking to create a stunning, low-maintenance groundcover in your New Zealand garden? Sedum carpet is the ideal solution for gardeners who want a resilient, drought-tolerant blanket of green (and sometimes red or gold) foliage. This living carpet is made up of tightly packed sedum plants that spread to form a vibrant, textured mat—perfect for suppressing weeds, covering bare soil, and adding year-round interest to your landscape.

Isotoma fluviatilis

Isotoma fluviatilis features small, dark green leaves that give the appearance of a lush, green carpet. The foliage is adorned with masses of small, blue, star-shaped flowers from spring through autumn. It typically grows to just 10 cm tall and will spread to 40 cm. Isotoma fluviatilis is commonly grown as a ground cover, planted between paving stones and similar areas, included in cottage gardens, or used to trail over a wall or from a hanging basket.

Buy Isotoma fluviatilis

From $19.58

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Groundcover Plants

Height: 10 cm

Spread: 40 cm

Flowering time: Spring, Autumn, Winter

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Ground covering, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Native

Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly Bean Plant)

Sedum rubrotinctum, commonly known as Jelly Bean Plant or Pork and Beans Plant, is a compact, low-growing succulent reaching 15–20 cm tall and spreading up to 30 cm wide. It features plump, jelly bean-shaped leaves that are green with red tips, intensifying with sun exposure. Yellow star-shaped flowers appear in spring. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in well-drained soil and full sun, making it perfect for pots, rockeries, and dry areas in New Zealand gardens.

Buy Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly Bean Plant)

From $20.93

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Succulents

Height: 20 cm

Spread: 20 cm

Flowering time: Summer

Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Patios

Garden styles: Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Modern, Rock

Why Choose Sedum Carpet for Your Garden?

A sedum carpet offers numerous benefits for home gardens and commercial landscapes. Sedums are succulents, renowned for their ability to withstand dry conditions and poor soils—making them versatile and easy to care for. Once established, a sedum carpet requires minimal watering and very little maintenance, making it a favourite for busy gardeners.

Sedum carpets thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. They're perfect for rockeries, borders, green roofs, and even between stepping stones. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, sedum carpets provide a habitat for beneficial insects and help prevent soil erosion.

Favourite Sedum Varieties for Carpeting

Choosing the right sedum is key to creating a thick, colourful carpet. Some standout options include:

Sedum spurium Voodoo (Stonecrop Voodoo): This variety features deep burgundy foliage that turns richer with more sun, plus clusters of rosy pink flowers in summer. It’s fantastically hardy and delivers bold colour contrast in any sedum carpet.
Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly Bean Plant): With plump, jelly-bean-shaped leaves that change from green to red, this playful sedum brings quirky texture to groundcover plantings.
Sedum Rainbow Blob: Showcasing a kaleidoscope of colours, this unique sedum adds a lively touch to your carpet and is well-suited to container gardens as well.

How to Plant Your Sedum Carpet

Planting a sedum carpet is wonderfully straightforward. Simply space young plants 15-30cm apart in prepared, well-draining soil. Water them in, and let nature take its course. Sedum spreads quickly during the warmer months, knitting together to form a lush, weed-suppressing cover. Occasional trimming will keep growth even and prevent sprawling.

To blend different textures and colours in your landscape, consider pairing sedums with companion groundcovers like Isotoma fluviatilis or moss-like Scleranthus biflorous.

Caring for Your Sedum Carpet

A sedum carpet is one of the lowest-maintenance options available. After planting, water regularly until established—then only during prolonged dry spells. Remove spent flower heads in late summer for a tidy look. Sedums rarely suffer from pests or diseases, so you can enjoy an effortless, evergreen blanket year after year.

Transform Your Garden with Sedum Carpets

If you’re searching for an attractive, water-wise groundcover, a sedum carpet will transform dull corners or sunbaked spaces into garden features. Whether you love the deep hue of Sedum spurium Voodoo (Stonecrop Voodoo) or the playful charm of Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly Bean Plant), there’s a sedum carpet waiting to bring life and colour to your landscape.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.