Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Bright Idea Stonecrop: A Tidy Succulent Dome at the Lavender Edge
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Bright Idea stonecrop is a polished little sedum that forms a rounded dome about a foot tall. Fleshy, deep green, toothed leaves ride on bright red stems, and in early summer the dome is heavily sprinkled with flat clusters of yellow star flowers.
It thrives in hot, dry, sunny spots with poor soil, which makes it about as compatible with lavender as a plant can be. Its neat, mounded shape also gives the front of a lavender bed a crisp, finished edge.
Bright Idea at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Sedum (Phedimus) 'Bright Idea' |
| Foliage | Deep green, toothed, often edged red in strong light, on red stems |
| Flowers | Bright yellow stars in clusters 2 to 3 inches wide |
| Size | 10 to 12 inches tall, 16 to 20 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-June, peaks early July |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Great for pollinators; moderately deer resistant |
A mound, not a mat
Many low sedums spread flat like a carpet. Bright Idea is taller and more upright, holding together as a tight, rounded clump. That makes it useful as a series of little domes lined up along the front of a bed, echoing the rounded shape of lavender mounds at a smaller scale. The deep green leaves and red stems give a darker, warmer contrast to lavender's silver-gray all season, and the yellow stars in June and early July pop against purple.
Keep a little space between the sedum and the woody base of each lavender so air keeps moving around the lavender crowns. Plan spacing in the Companion Plant Planner.
Containers and rock gardens
Bright Idea is a good filler for mixed sunny containers. Pair it with a potted lavender and a trailing plant for a planter that needs little water. In rock gardens and on slopes, it settles into pockets of gritty soil and helps hold the ground.
Planting and care
- Soil: average to poor and sharply drained. It rots in soggy ground.
- Water: to establish, then rarely. It is very drought tolerant.
- After bloom: trim off faded flower clusters for a neater mound.
- Spring: cut back old stems before new growth starts.
- Every few years: divide if the center begins to open up.
- Winter: fully hardy in Michigan, dying back to small buds at the base. Skip heavy mulch over the crowns.
Rabbits leave it alone, and the main risk is root or stem rot in wet, heavy soil.
Plug tray or bare root
Bright Idea is offered as a 72-cell plug tray for edging long beds or growing on in pots, and as a bare root plant for a few clumps in a home garden. See each product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from low, carpeting sedums?
It grows taller and more upright, forming a tight clump rather than a flat, spreading mat.
Do bees visit it?
Yes. Its yellow flowers have great pollinator value, and they open just as the lavender begins to bloom.
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