Penthorum sedoides aka Ditch Stonecrop

Penthorum sedoides is a perennial known as ditch stonecrop. Other names include American ditch stonecrop and Virginian stonecrop. Its native range spans central and eastern North America. It grows in Canada and the United States. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Kew places the species in the family Penthoraceae. Other sources place it in different plant families.

The plant grows to about 3.3 feet [1 metre] tall. It lives for more than one year and can form rhizomes. In the wild, it grows on low, wet ground. Ditches and swamps provide the damp sites it needs. These habitats help explain its value near garden water. Its place in a garden depends on moisture, not dry conditions.

Flowers appear from July to September, giving a summer flowering season. Each flower has both male and female organs. This means the species has hermaphrodite flowers. The supplied sources give no further detail about flower form. They also give no account of its fruit. Leaves have a recorded food use when cooked. Plants For A Future describes their use as a cooked green. Its food-use rating is low, at one out of five.

Grow ditch stonecrop in wet soil or shallow water. It suits pond edges and bog gardens. It can grow in full sun or partial shade. Sandy soil, loam and clay all fall within its range. It also accepts mildly acid, neutral and mildly alkaline soils. These choices allow some freedom in soil type and light. Water remains the key need when choosing a planting site. Division in spring provides one way to raise more plants. Plants For A Future also suggests seed propagation, but notes limited information.

Plants For A Future records several past medicinal uses. These include plant preparations for digestive and mucus-related complaints. It also records the use of seeds in cough syrups. Such records do not establish safe or effective home treatment. The source lists no known hazards for this species. That statement does not prove safety for people or pets. It lists no other uses and flags no weed potential. The supplied evidence gives no specific pest or disease problems.