Sedums and sempervivums used in green roofs

This is Sedum acre whose chartreuse foliage would make it a winner in the garden on its' looks alone. But there's more. It makes a great groundcover in So Cal, as well as being an ingredient in some green roofs. It's tough--hardy to 5 degrees.

It's descriptive label acre refers to the "biting" quality of the leaves. S. acre is also called Wallpepper and Biting Stonecrop. Folk remedies using the leaves are astonishing. It is used for everything from curing  corns to epilepsy. You can also dry the leaves and use them as pepper. S. acre originates in the Balkans where it is being seriously studied as a promising medicinal plant. The Italians use s. acre to heal sores, the Greeks as an abortifacient . (Don't try this at home ) Do try it around another larger succulent as an accent. The color is great with blue green aloes.

Desert Rose is another sedum that lends itself to pots, hanging baskets, and filling in between larger succulents as a ground cover---an alternative to rocks or sand which creates a lush effect without using  water.