Do you like succulents? Afterwards you may have heard of sedum lucidumone of the most appreciated and also one of those that offers you a color in each of its leaves that does not go unnoticed by anyone.
But what does sedum lucidum look like? What care do you need? We are going to talk about all this so that you have a practical guide in case you decide to have one at home.
How is sedum lucidum
The first thing you need to know about sedum lucidum is its origin. This one is in Mexico, although it can now be found in many other places around the world. Its scientific name is Sedum lucidum obesum and it is a succulent plant, that is, it accumulates water in its leaves and can reach 30 centimeters in height.
how are your leaves
The leaves of sedum lucidum are fleshy, rounded and large. But the most characteristic of it is the color it has, between green and reddish at the edges. These sheets are also very shiny and soft to the touch.
Each can be about 5cm long, although it acts like a shrub, so it will have many stems from which rosettes will emerge with those fleshy leaves.
What you may not know is that sedum lucidum also has a variegated form, where the leaves are usually pastel shades mixed between pink, yellow and green. It’s highly regarded, but it’s also one of the most expensive succulents you’ll find.
does it bloom?
Well yes. In addition, it is easy for him to do so if you provide him with the appropriate care. And although these are not as spectacular as the leaves of the plant, they will still attract a lot of attention.
To start, They have a star shape in white. But in the center it has a little shade of yellow. This usually happens in spring and summer.
Sedum lucidum treatment
Would you like to have sedum lucidum in your home? Although succulents are plants that hardly need care and in a way you can forget about them for a while, the truth is that you should be aware of them. And that’s what we’re going to teach you next. Pay attention.
location and temperature
If you are wondering if it is better to place the sedum lucidum indoors or outdoors, we have already indicated that the best is always outdoors, if possible in full sun. Indeed, when it does not receive enough light, it loses its reddish color, and it is very difficult, if not impossible, to recover it.
To give you an idea, it will need direct sunlight at least 4 hours a day, and another 6 filtered.
As for the temperature, ideally it should be between 12 and 29 ºC. However, it tolerates cold as well as intense heat. In case of cold, it is better to protect it from extreme or continuous frosts, especially if it is the first year that you have it because it can suffer much more.
Substrate
Sedum lucidum is a succulent plant, and as such it needs soil that has good drainage. In fact, it adapts to any type of soil, so if you mix it with a universal substrate and some perlite, you will have everything you need to make it happy. Another option that many professionals use is to mix topsoil with a little worm hummus.
As for the pot, always try to place one of small or medium size because it prefers to be “compact” rather than having a lot of free space.
Change the soil every two years to keep nutrients replenished and your plant healthy.
Irrigation
We come to irrigation, and like many other succulents, this one must be conspicuous by its absence. No, we don’t mean you shouldn’t water it, but the truth is, you shouldn’t overwater it to avoid root rot.
In general, in summer you can water it 1-2 times a week while in winter it may only need to be watered every fortnight or thirty days, nothing more.
Of course, wetting the leaves is not recommended (yes, you can spray them, but if you add too much water, they can rot).
Subscriber
Yes OK These are not plants that need fertilization, If you have not changed the substrate for a long time, you can add a little fertilizer indicated for cacti and succulents, always in a proportion slightly lower than the instructions provided on the packaging by the manufacturer.
Size
As for the size, obviously when the sedum lucidum says to grow, it grows. And that can make it a bit “out of control”. That is why it is possible that from time to time you have to cut it to slow down its “invasion” of other plants a little. But these cuttings you can use to propagate the plant in other pots.
Plagues and diseases
As delicious as it is, sedum lucidum is a plant that is not attacked by pests. But that’s not entirely true because it’s true that there are pests and diseases that you need to be aware of.
On the one hand, mealybugsthat they can attack it to feed on the sap and that in this target they will damage the leaves.
On the other hand, root rot, which can be caused by excessive watering. Along with this we have the gray mold, which can darken the plant and end up consuming it in a short time.
Multiplication
The propagation form of sedum lucidum it can go through the seeds (since it flowers and the seeds can be harvested) and also by cuttings. The latter is the most used and most likely to succeed.
To do this, just take a part of the plant that has a stem (if possible from the highest part so that it is a more mature specimen) and cut it and wait about 24 hours until the cut wound seals, you can plant it in the ground. The stem will root very quickly and so you will have a new plant within a year (in fact, depending on when you do it, you will have it sooner or later).
Now that you know everything you need to have sedum lucidum, Would you dare to have it at home?