Sedum oblanceolatum
Applegate stonecrop
(c) Colin J Pryor, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Crassulaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Sedum oblanceolatum (Applegate stonecrop) is a native California herb in the Crassulaceae family, recognized by distinctive waxy coating and white flowers.
Applegate stonecrop is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in northern Klamath Ranges in northwestern Siskiyou County on dry rocky slopes, sunny outcrops, and ridgelines at elevations of 900 to 1,750 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to creamy white flowers, sometimes fading yellowish, in spheric to cylindrical clusters 2.5 to 8.5 centimeters long. Growing with glaucous stems 10 to 22 centimeters tall, it forms dense rosettes up to 6 centimeters in diameter with strongly flattened leaves. Its leaves are oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, 15 to 55 millimeters long and 5 to 10 millimeters wide, with obtuse to notched tips and covered in a thick layer of granular wax that leaves a white residue when handled. The mature follicles are slightly fused above the base, standing 6 to 10 millimeters tall and containing narrowly lanceolate seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species; distinctive waxy coating and white flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry rocky slopes, sunny outcrops, ridgelines, on serpentine and non-serpentine substrates
Elevation: 900-1750 m
California counties: Siskiyou
Outside California: to sw Oregon
Bloom period
Sedum oblanceolatum blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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 oblanceolatum native to California?
Yes. Sedum oblanceolatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sedum oblanceolatum bloom?
Sedum oblanceolatum blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Sedum oblanceolatum grow?
Sedum oblanceolatum occurs in Siskiyou, at elevations of 900-1750 m.
What plant family does Sedum oblanceolatum belong to?
Sedum oblanceolatum is in the Crassulaceae family, genus Sedum.
Is Sedum oblanceolatum rare or endangered?
Sedum oblanceolatum carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, 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.