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Question about dragon blood

I recently bought a six pack of sedum "dragon's blood". It was very cheap.(maybe my first mistake) I liked the dark red foilage. I put all six plants in to one bed about 10x4. Recently I've noticed two plants morphing. One plant has turned completly green. The other is half red, half green. It looks like it is divided in half, one color on each side. The other four are still a dark red. Is this common? Maybe mislabeled? Has anyone else experienced this?

Comments (8)

  • rivers1202
    18 years ago

    Yea. My 5 plants started out red/burgundy, then changed to green. I planted them last fall. Right now they are a bit of both colors. But they are very healthy and spreading like crazy. They've grown together to form one enormous mound. I don't know if it's the amount of sun they get, or what, that causes the color variation on them. Mine are in full sun. Maybe new growth is mostly green, and it reverts to red with age?

  • Ina Plassa_travis
    18 years ago

    well- I got one in a half gallon pot, cut it into three sections, and planted them in my rock wall. one's red, one's green trimmed with red, and the fastest growing one is almost entire green...

    sun does play a part, as does water, as does growth- the more sun, the less water, the smaller and redder the leaves tend to be. since you're watering them (to help the plants adjust to their new home) I'm not surprised that they're changing colors...

    I'd give them another month, and see if the color starts coming back. mine, oddly enough, is at its reddest in the early fall!

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    They are in full sun, and they get a lot of water. I planted them with a hosta. It's very thirsty.

  • Ina Plassa_travis
    18 years ago

    yup- hostas are, especially when new...

    I've got Golden Acres in with my hostas- most of the sedums are fine with half-sun.

    they SHOULD regain their color when their growth slows down. if not- moving the hosta to a shadier spot might be an answer- it will be less thirsty, and let you neglect the sedums some.

    as with most succulents, they THRIVE on neglect. like morning glories, and nasturtiums.

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I'm wierd. I can't have a flower bed without a hosta, even in full sun. I'm hoping once the temps go down, I can cut back the watering some. It's hard to do with a bed full of new plants.:)

  • Ina Plassa_travis
    18 years ago

    :) I understand- I rescued a milk crate full of nice chartreuse, green, and white stripy ones last year, and they're all over the place- even in my tomato bed :)

  • lindac
    18 years ago

    Dragon's blood sedum does not hage red foliage all year....the flowers are red and there will usually be some reddish tinge to the foliage....it has to be in full sun to get that reddish tinge.
    And it would rather be on the dry side....not to be planted with thirsty hosta.
    Linda C

  • kwaples001
    16 years ago

    I read somewhere that using a very loosly woven burlap works to discourage erosion when planting new groundcover on a hillside because the water can get through and the roots can spread. The burlap will eventually disintigrate. Does anyone think that would be OK for the sedum or not?

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