Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Broadleaf Stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Broadleaf Stonecrop, Spoon-Leaved Stonecrop, Coast Stonecrop.

More about broadleaf stonecrop

About Broadleaf Stonecrop

Sedum spathulifolium · also called Broadleaf Stonecrop, Spoon-Leaved Stonecrop · houseplant

Sedum spathulifolium is a low-growing native stonecrop from the Pacific Coast of North America, forming tight rosettes of spoon-shaped, waxy leaves dusted with a silvery or purple-flushed bloom. Hardy and adaptable, it suits alpine troughs, rock gardens, and bright indoor containers. Bright yellow star-shaped flowers appear in early summer. ASPCA lists Sedum as non-toxic.

Cold limit: USDA 5–9 · RHS H6 (-15–30°C)

Watch for — Crown rot in wet winters: The main risk outdoors in wet UK/Pacific Northwest winters. Rosettes blacken and collapse when sitting in waterlogged soil. Plant in raised beds or troughs with deep grit drainage layers, and ensure the crown stays dry. Move container-grown plants under cover in prolonged wet spells.

What broadleaf stonecrop's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — broadleaf stonecrop is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 5–9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H6 means: Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe. On the US scale that maps to USDA 5–9 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Broadleaf Stonecrop is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for broadleaf stonecrop as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can broadleaf stonecrop go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 5–9 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when broadleaf stonecrop can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H6 figure above.

Broadleaf Stonecrop hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is broadleaf stonecrop cold hardy?

Yes — broadleaf stonecrop is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 5–9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Broadleaf Stonecrop is hardy across USDA 5–9; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature broadleaf stonecrop can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Broadleaf Stonecrop is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is broadleaf stonecrop?

Broadleaf Stonecrop is rated USDA 5–9 and RHS H6 — Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe.

Can broadleaf stonecrop survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 5–9 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to broadleaf stonecrop below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.