Sodding with Sedum and Succulents
ABOVE: This is a sedum mat. It works basically like sod, but instead of thirsty grass, it is made up of small succulent plants that use less water and are more interesting to look at. A downside is that it doesn’t work for high traffic areas, but withstands applications involving light traffic. It recovers very quickly, because cuttings break off and restart themselves.
These mats, which are not yet on the market, are being developed by the forward-thinking people at Altman Plants, the largest succulent and cactus growers in the U.S. Possible uses include throwing them up on bare roadside hillsides where they will require no more than biweekly watering. Developers are also using them for green roof tops or replacement lawns without the wait. Instant low-water ground cover! The sedum mats are grown by just scattering sedum plants on the mat. Anyone could certainly do that on his or her own, but it can take a year or so for the plants to grow in. Trials are still ongoing. Although not on sale to the general public, the mats will be available to landscape architects, and contractors. Part of a program, called “Raise the Roof,” originally designed the mats for green roofs. In California especially, and in dry western areas, green roofs often don’t take. Without enough water, they dry out. Since Altman is the largest grower of succulents, they devised modular panels or tiles that architects can specify for green roofs. But, after additional thought, they said what if we designed a mat you could put on the ground just like sod? Usually, sod, if rolled, will be dead in two days. With the sedum, they found they could roll it and it would last for three weeks. They dropped it on bare banks without any prep, the mats just took and rooted, which was a very exciting development. They can be designed and cut to fit different spaces, and even better, sedum doesn’t have the problem of weeds coming up. It isn’t necessary to weed after the plants are in or train maintenance people to know which are the weeds and which are the plants. Says John Bagnasco of Altman Plants, “Our purpose right now is to sell the mats commercially to landscapers, but we’re also looking at opening it up to the retail market. People can buy direct, but we are also looking at distribution through mass merchandisers. This is still a brand new product.” Altman tried different mats such as coconut fiber and were shocked at how well the sedum developed. It works well with micro climates, the succulents tolerate shade well. They grow taller in shade, so water can be cut back even more. In full shade, it can tolerate watering every three to four weeks. “We’ve tested as long as two months without water and they still look good,” continues Bagnasco. “But we really don’t recommend that.” Altman is still making the roof tiles 3’ x 3’ x 4” deep. The sedum mats are designed to be laid on a slope, which is ideal for freeways. The mats don’t get heavy, they quickly root at each node therefore stabilizing the slope. Although Altman is the largest grower of succulents, they’re also moving into plants that use less water, that look good, but are ecologically sound without sacrificing beauty.
For more information visit www.altmanplants.com