Boogie Woogie Stonecrop: A Glowing Carpet at Lavender's Feet

Boogie Woogie stonecrop is a low, spreading sedum with small, fleshy green leaves edged in wide cream margins. From a few steps away the mat seems to glow a soft yellow-green, and in early summer it adds flat clusters of bright yellow star flowers.

It stays only six to eight inches tall, which makes it a tidy living edge for a lavender bed. Hot, dry and sunny is exactly how it likes things, so it will happily take the sunbaked strip along a path or the gaps between stepping stones.

Boogie Woogie at a glance

Using it with lavender

Lavender beds often have a bare, hot edge where little else survives. Boogie Woogie fills that space with a dense succulent carpet that keeps soil from washing onto paths and keeps weeds from getting a foothold. The cream-and-green leaves brighten the silver-gray of lavender, and the yellow stars in June and early July are a cheerful contrast to purple.

Keep the mat a hand's width back from the base of each lavender. Lavender crowns like open air around them, and a carpet pressed right up against the woody base holds moisture where you do not want it.

It also works on slopes, in rock gardens and in containers. A shallow bowl of Boogie Woogie beside a potted lavender makes a low-water patio pairing.

Planting and care

• Soil: average to poor and sharply drained. Wet or heavy soil is the main cause of stem and root rot.
• Water: water to settle new plants, then only in severe drought.
• Feeding: none.
• After bloom: shear off spent flower clusters to keep the mound tidy.
• Filling in: pieces root easily. Break off a few stems and press them into bare spots where you want it to spread.
• Winter: fully hardy in Michigan. It dies back to small buds at the base; avoid heavy mulch over the crowns.

Rabbits tend to leave it alone, and aside from the occasional aphid or slug, problems are rare in well-drained ground.

Ordering format

Boogie Woogie is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, which goes a long way when you are edging long beds or covering a slope. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.

Frequently asked questions

Will it open up in the middle like some sedums?

It was selected for a tight mound that holds together in the center. In very wet, humid summers any low sedum can thin a little, so drainage still matters.

Do the leaves change color?

The cream edges can blush reddish-purple at times, which adds a little extra interest.

Can I walk on it?

It handles light, occasional steps between pavers, but it is not a lawn substitute for regular foot traffic.

Keep exploring

• Boogie Woogie Stonecrop 72-Cell Plug Tray
• Companion Plant Library
• Companion Plant Planner
• Wholesale Hub