Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Oregon Stonecrop (Sedum oreganum)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Oregon Stonecrop, Oregon Sedum.

More about oregon stonecrop

About Oregon Stonecrop

Sedum oreganum · also called Oregon Stonecrop, Oregon Sedum · houseplant

Sedum oreganum is a low, mat-forming succulent native to rocky coastal and mountain habitats of the Pacific Northwest. Its glossy, spatula-shaped, green leaves flush burgundy-red under stress from drought, cold, or intense sun. Bright yellow star flowers appear in early summer. An attractive alpine pot subject or container groundcover requiring minimal care.

Cold limit: USDA 5-9 · RHS H6 (-20 to 28°C)

Watch for — Root rot from overwatering: The most common failure mode indoors. Use well-draining compost, pots with drainage holes, and allow the compost to partially dry before the next watering. Reduce watering substantially in winter.

What oregon stonecrop's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — oregon 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. Oregon Stonecrop is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for oregon 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 oregon 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 oregon stonecrop can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H6 figure above.

Oregon Stonecrop hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is oregon stonecrop cold hardy?

Yes — oregon 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. Oregon 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 oregon stonecrop can survive?

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

What hardiness zone is oregon stonecrop?

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

Can oregon 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 oregon 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.