Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Yellow Brick Road Stonecrop: A Golden Carpet at Lavender's Feet
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Yellow Brick Road stonecrop is a low groundcover sedum with small, fleshy, toothed leaves on reddish stems. From mid-July, flat clusters of tiny bright yellow stars cover the plant so completely that it looks like a yellow rug, a couple of weeks later than the usual summer groundcover sedums.
It loves the same hot, dry, well-drained ground as lavender, which makes it one of the easiest edging plants you can put in front of a lavender row. Follow it, as the saying goes.
Yellow Brick Road at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Sedum 'Yellow Brick Road' (also listed as Phedimus kamtschaticus) |
| Flowers | Bright yellow, star-shaped, in flat clusters |
| Foliage | Dark green on red stems; stems turn reddish-purple in strong light |
| Size | 6 to 8 inches tall, 22 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-July, peaks early August, about six weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Great for pollinators; moderately deer resistant |
A front-row partner for lavender
Low sedum and lavender are a classic dry-garden pairing. The sedum covers bare soil at the base of the bed, which helps crowd out weeds, and it never needs the extra water that would hurt lavender. Its bloom timing is a bonus: it starts as the English lavender peaks and keeps going after harvest, carrying color through the gap between summer and fall bloomers.
Yellow next to purple is about as bold as color contrast gets. Plant a ribbon of Yellow Brick Road along the edge of the bed, in the gravel at the base of a slope or between stepping stones on a sunny path, and keep it a few inches back from lavender crowns so air can move around them. The Companion Plant Planner helps with the layout.
Planting and care
- Soil: average to poor and sharply drained. It does not like wet feet.
- Water: until established, then rarely. It is very heat and drought tolerant.
- Tidying: trim faded flower stems after bloom if you want a neater mat.
- Filling in: divide clumps or replant pieces anywhere you want more coverage.
- Winter: it dies back to small buds at the base and is fully hardy in Michigan. Avoid heavy mulch over the crowns.
Root and stem rot in wet or heavy soil is the main risk; occasional aphids or slugs are the only other troubles.
Other good spots
It suits rock gardens, containers, slopes that need holding and dry edges along a driveway. Bees and other pollinators visit the flowers heavily, so it pulls double duty in a pollinator planting.
Offered as a plug tray
Yellow Brick Road comes as a 72-cell plug tray, which is a practical way to edge a long lavender row or cover a slope. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Will it smother my lavender?
No. It stays 6 to 8 inches tall and spreads about 2 feet. Keep it from crowding the lavender crowns and both will be fine.
Is it good for cutting?
Not really. It is grown as a groundcover and edging plant.
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