Sedum divergens
Cascade stonecrop
(c) Timothy McNitt, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Crassulaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Sedum divergens (Cascade stonecrop) is a native California herb in the Crassulaceae family, recognized by distinctive decumbent mat-forming habit without rosettes.
Cascade stonecrop is a native perennial herb found in the Klamath Ranges in sunny dry gravelly flats and rocky slopes at elevations of 1,600 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in dense, flat-topped clusters with 1 to 17 blooms. Growing with decumbent stems 5 to 12 centimeters long that root at the nodes and have many ascending sterile shoots, it spreads close to the ground in compact formations. Its opposite leaves are small, 3 to 8 millimeters long, broadly elliptic to nearly spherical with rounded tips, and appear glabrous or finely textured. The mature plant develops yellow-petaled flowers with spreading lance-oblong petals and widely spreading follicles at maturity.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species; distinctive decumbent mat-forming habit without rosettes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sunny dry gravelly flats, rocky slopes, ledges
Elevation: 1600-2400 m
California counties: Humboldt, Trinity, Siskiyou
Outside California: to Alaska, Alberta
Bloom period
Sedum divergens blooms Jul-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
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 divergens native to California?
Yes. Sedum divergens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sedum divergens bloom?
Sedum divergens blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Sedum divergens grow?
Sedum divergens occurs in Humboldt, Trinity, Siskiyou, at elevations of 1600-2400 m.
What plant family does Sedum divergens belong to?
Sedum divergens is in the Crassulaceae family, genus Sedum.
Is Sedum divergens rare or endangered?
Sedum divergens carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.