The Red Carpet Plant is a vibrant, low-maintenance groundcover. Its striking foliage and spreading habit make it a popular choice for various landscape applications, offering year-round visual interest.
Understanding the Red Carpet Plant
Identification and Appearance
Red Carpet Plant (Sedum spurium ‘Schorbuser Blut’ or ‘Dragon’s Blood’) is a succulent with fleshy leaves that change color. Foliage emerges bronze-green in spring and summer, deepening to beet-red or deep burgundy in cooler temperatures or full sun. Tiny, star-shaped, pinkish-red flowers appear from late spring through mid-summer, attracting pollinators.
Growth Habit
Sedum spurium ‘Schorbuser Blut’ is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial, typically 3 to 6 inches tall and spreading 12 to 24 inches wide. It spreads by rooting stems, forming a dense groundcover that suppresses weeds.
Planting and Care Guide
Site Selection and Soil
Red Carpet Plant thrives in full sun, which enhances foliage color. It tolerates light shade, but persistent shade may reduce growth. Good drainage is paramount; it prefers well-drained, sandy, or gravelly soils and tolerates poor or rocky conditions. Proper drainage prevents root rot.
Light and Water Requirements
Full sun (at least six hours daily) promotes intense foliage color and robust growth. Once established, the Red Carpet Plant is highly drought-tolerant due to its ability to store water in its fleshy leaves. Watering should be infrequent, typically every 2-3 weeks, allowing the soil to dry completely between waterings. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so avoid excessive moisture.
Pruning and Maintenance
This plant is low-maintenance once established. Minimal pruning is generally required, primarily for shaping, controlling its spread, or removing spent flower stalks if desired. Its dense, mat-forming habit naturally helps in weed suppression, reducing the need for constant weeding.
Climate and Hardiness
Red Carpet Plant is hardy across a wide range of climates, typically thriving in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9. Its foliage color intensifies dramatically with the arrival of cooler temperatures in fall and winter, often turning a deep beet-red or crimson. This characteristic provides year-round interest, especially in regions with distinct seasonal changes.
Ideal Landscape Applications
The spreading, mat-forming habit of the Red Carpet Plant makes it an excellent choice for various landscape uses. It serves as an effective groundcover, suppressing weeds and adding a vibrant splash of color. It is well-suited for rock gardens, where it can cascade over stones and crevices, thriving in the well-drained conditions. It also works well for borders and edging, providing a distinct contrast to other plants. This plant can be incorporated into containers as a “spiller” or “filler” element, and its drought tolerance makes it suitable for green roofs and for controlling erosion on slopes.
Common Challenges and Solutions
While generally robust, the Red Carpet Plant can face a few common issues. Overwatering is a frequent problem, leading to root rot, characterized by mushy leaves and stems. To resolve this, ensure the soil dries out between waterings and improve drainage. Insufficient light can cause leggy growth and less vibrant foliage color, so relocating the plant to a sunnier spot is beneficial. While largely pest-resistant, occasional infestations of aphids or mealybugs may occur; these can typically be managed with insecticidal soap or neem oil.