We’ve had this sedum, Sedum booleanum, for three or four years, and this is the first time it’s bloomed. The flowers are an unusual color for sedum–orange-red. Many sedums come from Europe, but this is a North American native, found in the mountains of Mexico. It has survived winters in Denver, yet I’ve never wanted to risk it outside in Rye. Seeing these tiny buds makes me think I have to find the right spot for it and give it a chance in the garden or a trough. The blurry little buds you see in the picture below will open into a much larger flower soon. I’ll post pictures of it then, too.
This is a recent discovery, and the International Crassula Network has this to say about it:
BOOLEANUM [Turner, 1995] NE Mexico, n=?, no older names, fl. red: affiliation uncertain. Named to honor the 5 yr. old grandson of Geo. B. Hinton, a well known collector of native plants of Mex., using the middle name of Mr. Hinton (Boole). Leaves are light blue-green, fleshy, overlapping & usually stacked in 4 straight rows on the upright stems. The bright red flowers are unique for a Sedum, but may reflect some connection to the reddish flowering Villadias and Thompsonellas that could be related.
If we can get more of them potted up, we hope to have it at the nursery this spring. For all of you who are crazy about cactus and succulents, this is a special plant to add to your collection.
