Sedum pulchellum

The name means 'pretty little one,' which is both accurate and slightly undersells it. Sedum pulchellum — widow's cross sedum, in the common name — is a native North American species with a naturally refined and distinctive form. The stems sprawl outward from a central point, and the narrow, cylindrical, bright green leaves pack densely along each stem. In late spring to early summer it produces rosy-pink to purple-pink flowers that appear in flat-topped clusters — small, numerous, and genuinely pretty in the way the name promises. The whole plant has a loose, naturalistic charm.

Hardy to Zone 5 to 8 and well-suited to the mild west-side Pacific Northwest climate, S. pulchellum likes slightly moister conditions than many of its sedum relatives — it grows naturally on rocky ledges in the eastern and central United States where summer humidity is higher, which gives it a bit more tolerance for the moister conditions of west-side PNW gardens. Full to part sun and decent drainage are still the requirements, but it's a bit more forgiving than the dryland Mediterranean species. Rock gardens, slope plantings, and naturalistic compositions are natural fits. A North American native with a charm that's genuinely different from the European and Asian sedums that dominate most collections.