Bright Idea is a tidy, rounded stonecrop that covers itself with clusters of bright yellow star flowers in early to midsummer. Red stems carry deep green, toothed leaves, a nice color contrast even when the plant is not in bloom.
Its polished, mounding shape stays about a foot tall, so it works at the front of a sunny border, in a rock garden or as a filler in mixed containers. It thrives in hot, dry spots and rabbits leave it alone.
What it looks like
Flat clusters 2 to 3 inches wide of small, bright yellow, five-pointed star-shaped flowers held just above the foliage. Leaves are fleshy, deep green, oval to spoon-shaped with toothed edges, about 1 inch long, carried on reddish stems. The plant forms a neat, rounded mound 10 to 12 inches tall and 16 to 20 inches wide. At peak bloom it looks like a green dome sprinkled heavily with yellow stars.
Growing it with lavender
This compact sedum thrives in the same hot, sunny, well-drained ground as lavender, and its rounded succulent mounds make a neat, contrasting edge along the front of a lavender bed.
Care
Plant in full sun in average to poor, well-drained soil; it is very drought tolerant once established and rots in soggy ground. Hardy in zones 3-9; trim back old stems in early spring before new growth starts, and divide every few years if the center opens up.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Sedum
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Flower color: Bright yellow
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Foliage: Deep green on red stems
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Growth habit: Neat, rounded mound
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Mature size: 10–12 in tall × 16–20 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
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Light: full sun
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Bloom start: Mid-June
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Peak bloom: Early-July
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Bloom pattern: Single Flush
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Deer resistance: Moderately resistant
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Pollinator value: Excellent
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.
Lavender companion · grow guide
Community Grower Report
