Sedum album
White stonecrop
(c) Kostas Zontanos, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kostas Zontanos · licence
Family: Crassulaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Sedum album (White stonecrop) is a non-native California herb in the Crassulaceae family, recognized by distinctive small size and non-native status.
White stonecrop is a naturalized perennial found in the Sierra Nevada, central and southern Coast Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains, and Peninsular Ranges in dry, sunny disturbed habitats at elevations below 1,600 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces white to pinkish flowers 2 to 4.5 millimeters long in flat-topped clusters up to 18 centimeters wide. Growing with creeping stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall that have extensive slender rhizomes and stolons, it forms dense ground-covering mats. Its alternate leaves are linear to ovate, 4 to 20 millimeters long, ranging from green to reddish in color with blunt tips. The plant produces small erect follicles 2.5 to 4 millimeters long, with distinctive red anthers contrasting against white filaments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; distinctive small size and non-native status
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry sunny roadcuts, pathsides, gravel, disturbed ground
Elevation: < 1600 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Marin, San Francisco, Mariposa, Nevada
Outside California: w and ne North America, native to Europe, North Africa
Bloom period
Sedum album blooms Jul-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Crassula: Sedum has flowers over 4mm wide; Crassula has tiny flowers typically under 3mm.; vs Aeonium: Sedum leaves have completely smooth edges; Aeonium has tiny hairs along leaf margins.; vs Dudleya: Sedum flowers cluster at stem tips; Dudleya flower stalks emerge from leaf axils on the side.; vs Echeveria: Sedum doesn't form tight rosettes; Echeveria grows in compact, symmetrical rosettes.; vs Sedella: Sedum is perennial with leaves over 1cm; Sedella is annual with tiny leaves under 1cm.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sedum album native to California?
No. Sedum album is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Sedum album bloom?
Sedum album blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Sedum album grow?
Sedum album occurs in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Marin, San Francisco, Mariposa, Nevada, at elevations of < 1600 m.
What plant family does Sedum album belong to?
Sedum album is in the Crassulaceae family, genus Sedum.
What habitat does Sedum album grow in?
Sedum album grows in dry sunny roadcuts, pathsides, gravel, disturbed ground.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.