Fauna
Plant

Woodland Stonecrop

Sedum ternatum

Also known as Three-leaved Stonecrop, Wild Stonecrop

Woodland stonecrop carpets moist deciduous forest floors and mossy rock faces with low whorls of succulent, rounded leaves arranged in groups of three. In mid-spring, flowering stalks rise above the creeping foliage to display star-like clusters of four-petaled white blossoms that attract early-season native bees and hoverflies. Unlike most succulents that demand full sunlight, this eastern native thrives in damp shade and readily roots along its spreading stems.

SucculentWildflowerShade-Tolerant
Woodland Stonecrop reference1 / 7
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthesis (autotroph)
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • White-tailed deer
ThreatsHabitat destruction, invasive groundcover competition, and trampling along trails
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, shaded rocky ledges, stream banks, and ravines
Life spanPerennial (indefinite via vegetative spreading)
Classification
  1. OrderSaxifragales
  2. FamilyCrassulaceae
  3. GenusSedum
  4. SpeciesSedum ternatum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Habitat Inspection: Check damp, moss-covered boulders and shaded limestone ravines to find creeping colonies.
  • Flower Counting: Look closely at the star-shaped white blossoms; terminal flowers typically have five petals while side blooms have four.
  • Garden Use: Plant in shaded rock gardens or woodland borders where soil remains moderately moist.
Related species
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