Sedum praealtum
Green cockscomb, greater mexican stonecrop
(c) zebedeugalinha, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Crassulaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Sedum praealtum (Green cockscomb) is a non-native California herb in the Crassulaceae family, recognized by distinctive tall woody shrub form.
Green cockscomb is a naturalized shrub found in the central California Coast bioregion near the mouth of the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County, occurring on disturbed sites, sunny slopes, cliffs, forest edges, and shady openings at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces bright yellow flowers with 5 spreading lanceolate petals approximately 6 to 9 millimeters long. Growing with stout and woody stems 50 to 120 centimeters tall, it forms an erect, upright structure without rosettes. Its leaves are strongly flattened, narrowly obovate to elliptic-oblanceolate, 2.4 to 8 centimeters long, with a shiny green surface sometimes marked with red and featuring a truncate base and rounded tip. The plant produces flat-topped to columnar flower clusters and develops mature follicles about 5 to 6 millimeters long that spread outward.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinctive tall woody shrub form
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed sites, sunny slopes, cliffs, forest edges, shady openings
Elevation: < 400 m
Outside California: England, Italy, Australia, native to central Mexico, Guatemala
Bloom period
Sedum praealtum blooms Feb-Jun.
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 praealtum native to California?
No. Sedum praealtum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Sedum praealtum bloom?
Sedum praealtum blooms Feb-Jun.
What plant family does Sedum praealtum belong to?
Sedum praealtum is in the Crassulaceae family, genus Sedum.
What habitat does Sedum praealtum grow in?
Sedum praealtum grows in Disturbed sites, sunny slopes, cliffs, forest edges, shady openings.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.