If it was place in the sun you may not find it Chelle. That's what happened to me twice.

Hi all - just returned from a family reunion...always fun and stressful at the same time!
Lynn you are totally correct I noticed Chocolate Ball looking sad in full sun, and moved it into bright shade with morning sun and it bounced right back!! Also I think many of the groundcover sedum can take less sun, they just may not be quite so bright but they will grow with no problems!! Lynn my chocolate ball arrived last November, and did great through the winter, I had it up against a south facing cement wall and I know that helped! It did not go dormant but I think that was because of the heat off that wall!!
Cheers and I'll get photos soon!

pardalinum said:My experience is: croaked twice . Not sure I'll try it again though. Garland's has them in now, at least they did on Wednesday when I was there.

Mine croaked too. I purchased it last Fall. This Spring I saw a little piece but it must have been my eyes playing trick because I do not even see the little piece that was there this Spring. I will not buy it again.

Found it!

It looks (and feels) like it's still alive. I had it tucked up in the columbine under the shade sails...thank goodness! It was really dry, so this thread saved its life for sure.
I moved it to the northeast corner of my stacked wood sedum fountain. It should be happy there in just a couple of hours of gentle sunlight.

Wahoo, you found it Chelle.
And it looks happy and healthy. Good save.

Cinta, that is exactly what mine did. It seemed to have gone dormant over winter, a tiny bit came back in the spring, and promptly died when summer arrive.

I have to wonder if it also dislikes heat, like the kind headed our way this week. Since I won't be getting around to planting it for a few days I may just bring it inside. It deserves the air conditioner, right? Of course I don't have that set up yet, I need to get cracking.

pardalinum said:I have to wonder if it also dislikes heat, like the kind headed our way this week. Since I won't be getting around to planting it for a few days I may just bring it inside. It deserves the air conditioner, right? Of course I don't have that set up yet, I need to get cracking.

If it dislike heat that would explain the death. I did put it in my driveway lamp post design. It is hotter and more sun there than anywhere on the property.

It's not the heat that gets it, it's the sun. I think it would be fine in shade Connie.
Cinta, try some in shade, or filtered light.

valleylynn said:It's not the heat that gets it, it's the sun. I think it would be fine in shade Connie.
Cinta, try some in shade, or filtered light.

Okay Lynn if I see it on sale I will try again. I am not going to pay full price again. Although I do not think I paid more than 5.00 for it last time but it was a small pot.

The driveway lamp post area I had it in was full blazing all day sun I could try it further down the driveway bed near the bushes at the end of the driveway where it would only get a couple hours of sun.

I do not know if you remember but this is the area I am trying to develop with all sedum and make it interesting with different color leaves sedum and different color flowers sedum.

That sounds like a perfect place for it Cinta. Place it in the shadiest part of that bed and see how it does. I read some where that the more shade they get, the darker the color is.

It sounds like the Sedum Blackjack I had years ago. It was a tall Sedum like Autumn Joy with black leaves. I tried to keep that thing going for years finally I gave up on it. It never really looked good. I do not even see it sold anymore. I think I finally let it die last year. It wanted water then it was too much water the leave would look good in the Spring then by mid-summer is looked ratty. It did not care if it was shade, full sun, a little bit of sun. I went online and everybody was talking about how bad it grew.

This was sold to me as sedum hakonense 'chocolate drop', but I came to a similar conclusion after some internet searching. The color is off from yours, but matches (along with the flowers) some other pics I found online:



Then again, my particular plant seems to be doing well in 10+hours of full sun with little to average water, so maybe it is something else? Maybe the images I googled were also mislabeled?

Alternately, maybe mine is unhealthy? It's stayed roughly the same color as it was when I brought it home so I assumed it was healthy.

That sure looks like Chocolate Drop. Growing conditions can make big changes in color of the leaves. And your plant looks nice and healthy. Make sure it gets enough water with this prolonged 90+ weather we will be having for at least a week.

Bumping this back up since I have gotten into trying put together mini hardy succulent gardens wonder how this sedum has done into 2015.

I saw this pic in one of my books and want to try this sedum again if some have gotten it to survive. I notice the places that use to carry it no longer are offering it on their site. I wonder if it was a weak sedum and even the trade has given up on selling.

I keep reading that this one likes sun and poor soil. I have not given it a fourth try.
Okay, maybe I will try it one more time?

I am also having trouble finding anything that actually talks about the 'cons' of growing this plant?
Hmmm, I love your above photo. Wonder if that would help it survive, planting it with some other sedum?

I lost track of mine again , but I have the feeling that it was one of the empty 4" pots I dumped at the end of last winter. If, by some miracle, I happen to find it alive and well while doing fall cleanup I'll report back, but I'd bet it's a goner here as well.

I have had one for years but it is not good looking. I'll get a picture today. Did buy one that was 50% off a few weeks ago and planted it out by my greenhouse. I love the color on this one.

Julia, how/under what conditions do you grow yours?

Ok everyone this is the one that has been around years. Always looks pathetic but still alive! Lynn I will not go into growing conditions because no one wants one like this!!!!


So here is the one I bought a few weeks ago. Planted in rocky soil, near the greenhouse and under perennial leaves that will give it winter sunshine and summer protection.


Leaves are pulled back so you can see.


Look at the color on this, worth the trouble. As me again in the spring see if it survives better than the one above.

Working on staining trim boards for the office, not a fun job. Some nut lost control of his car and crashed into my DH's office last month. This is twice this year. Almost put back together. Atp is keeping me from grumpiness.

I can definitely see why you want to keep it around Julia. Very striking colors.

Twice in one month? Do you have a sign at the curb that reads 'Drive In'?
How can they do that?