QUESTION:
Hi Judy!
I got this plant in a pre-made terrarium of succulents. All of the succulents except this guy died. This plant seems to trail/creep and its leaves are tiny and a little thick – similar to succulents. Leaves have dark green ovals in the middle, light green outside and a sort of reddish/pink tint to the back.
This plant is struggling and I’m not sure how often to water it because I don’t know what kind of plant it it.
Thanks in advance, your help is appreciated!
ANSWER:
Hi Naomi,
Your plant is a type of sedum called Sedum spurium “Fool’s Gold.” These are usually outdoor plants that thrive in full sun. If you want to grow a sedum indoors you need to provide very, very bright light or the plant becomes very bare and “leggy.” It should be planted a small pot with drainage holes in the bottom. The soil needs to be loose and drain quickly. You can use a cactus mix or add some sand, perlite, or pumice to your regular soil. These plants are extremely tolerant of very dry soil but die quickly when over watered. Sedum plants need very little plant food. Feed monthly in the summer with a cactus plant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength.
Here is a picture of a healthy Sedum “Fools Gold”
