I've been growing this in WA state since 1989 from a single cutting that came from Philadelphia, where it had been growing since at least 1970. Some of these have been growing with three leaf groups instead of two for several seasons now. Is this a common thing or a rare mutation?

Hi n3eg, and a big to ATP.
Can you show us a photo of what it looks like?

These are two of the four stems I have in the three leaf/30/60/90 degree rotated configuration. They also seem to rotate in threes. I will be propagating the heck out of these in the future.

I also have them growing with the standard two opposing leaves/90 degree rotated alternating configuration, as well as some that are actually growing single/alternated 180 degree rotation. The single leaf ones will probably go away soon, because I'm not a fan of the less leafy configuration.

I'll be planting them surrounded by Oregon Stonecrop since I got my garden cleaned up last year. Another interesting story about the Oregon Stonecrop: I've only found it growing in one place in all of Southwest Washington - a small rocky hillside on top of a 3000 foot hill.

Interesting. I'll have to go out and look at my 'Neon' and see how it is growing.

I love my Sedum oreganum (Oregon Stonecrop). I have had it for many years and nothing seems to bother it.
I would love to see a photo of yours.

An update: When I cut off the tops to propagate these, the new shoots from the original 3-leaf stem are all coming out with the normal two opposing leaves. So, it appears that this is a single main-stem variation only.

We'll see if the flower heads are larger on the two main stems that are rooting.

Don't forget to take more photos for us Earl.

Update: There are three of these with the three leaf groups, and they are huge. The flower head is taking on the same pattern as the leaves, with three branches of buds on each level alternating the same way. The ends of the bud branches are normal though, with two branches alternating around a center branch. Still, it's 1.5 times the flowers of a normal head.

If this behavior is predictable, I should have 5 stems like this next year. I might just have to keep pruning the two parent plants each year to propagate more of them in the regular garden.

Too bad you can't propagate these from a single leaf like a jade plant - or can you? I almost got one to root last winter, and I might try a few leaves again this year. I'm thinking I could take a partial slice out of the stem with the leaf and have more success.

Also, some of the Oregon Stonecrop is planted, and I'm holding back two pots on the side in case of disaster. Looks good so far.

This is exciting, N3eg. I will be watching for Neon updates. Good luck!

I did some reading, and the three-leaf arrangement is called "whorled." However, it alternates by 60 degrees (or 180 - could be either way) at each leaf level, making it also "decussate."

I've googled pictures and seen this elsewhere, so it's apparently not that rare - but none of them are this big!

The stems of these are now huge - about 1/2 inch thick! The flower heads are also huge. They are even growing stems in three directions from the leaf/stem joints at the lower levels now with their own flower heads. The leaves are also larger, which probably is why the stem is more than the expected 50% larger size.

It's a monster! I'll be posting pictures with a ruler for showing size in the next few weeks.

Can't wait to see the new photos Earl.

And here are the pictures. You can tell which one is the three-leaf wonder by the size, and another one is smaller but just to the right of it.




Check out the size of the stem on the above picture.



And finishing off with a closeup of the Oregon Stonecrop, which will hopefully spread out in the coming years.

Wow Earl what cool plants! And I learned a new meaning 'whorled' Love the looks of it! Thanks for the pics

This is very cool Earl! Thanks for sharing it with us. That's amazing!! Good luck with your propagation!

Another interesting Oregon Stonecrop story: All that and two full pots on the side were grown from four small stems that I brought back from Davis Peak near Woodland WA. I totally forgot about them for two months and had left them in a small sealed container. One day I was in the garage and found them in a dark corner. I planted them in an old cottage cheese container and they grew from there. I left the container on top of my grandkid's slide in the back yard, and in the spring pieces had broken off, slid down, and taken root at the bottom of the slide! Just proves that plants that have fun playing in the yard also grow well...

Also, almost all of the trees in my 500 foot long back yard are "rescue trees" which were growing as weeds in other lawns, cracks in sidewalks, or at the edges of parking lot landscaping. Some are also from crazy cutting rooting procedures. Want a third generation cutting viburnum snowball tree?

Wow Earl what I story I love it!
Thank you for that, the cuttings sliding down the slide is so cute!

And here we go again this year. Some are already showing that distinctive three-leaf whorled pattern.

Hi Earl. Spring is not far off now, just look at that cute sedum.
Does the new growth look like this one? This type of sedum has been renamed Hylotelephium now.

valleylynn said:Hi Earl. Spring is not far off now, just look at that cute sedum.
Does the new growth look like this one? This type of sedum has been renamed Hylotelephium now.

In a few more years it will. Yours seems to have more serrated edges than mine.

We have had a cooler than average winter so far. The sedums are coming up fine and the lilacs have large buds but the trees are doing nothing and the roses are at a standstill.

All my sedum are showing through the ground, but just sitting there waiting for some warm weather. It is so cold and windy here today.
I look forward to seeing your lovely sedum when it really gets going.

Another neon update: From what I planted last year, I have the following:

13 stems with alternating leaves
22 stems with opposing leaves
22 stems with whorled leaves in threes.

Now if I could just find one with whorled fours, that would be my lucky one!

I also planted 5 more cuttings with whorled leaves, and one grew from seed (yeah, that's rare) with opposing leaves.

Next year I'll track the new whorled threes better to see what varieties each one produces. I do know that they produce an imbalance of more whorled than opposing or alternating, but do produce all three varieties.

As for the Oregon Stonecrop, lots of flowers even though they are somewhat crowded by the Neon. I also planted it alongside the new Neon cuttings.

Side note: I recently uncovered a photo from 1963 of me at age 3 standing next to 4 or 5 stems of Neons back in Philadelphia, where it all started.