PlantFiles: Lance-leaved Stonecrop
Sedum lanceolatum

General:succulent perennial ,5-20 cm high,with clusters of flowering stems and short,sterile shoots.
Leaves:Alternate,succulent,narrowly lance shaped,rounded in cross section;mostly clustered at the base;stem leaves tend to drop off before flowering.
Flowers:Bright yellow,with narrowly lance shaped petals;in dense,flat topped clusters at tip of stem.
Fruits:5-parted capsules,with erect tipped sections.
Ecology;Scattered and often common at low sub alpine elevations on dry ,open slopes,ridges and rock outcrops;usually on very dry,thin or gravelly soils;especially common on dry rocky south facing slopes.

This variety of Sedum is indigenous to western North America. It is the only species of stonecrop native to my home province of Saskatchewan, growing on the rocky alpine slopes of the Cypress Hills. Being a succulent, it is very drought-tolerant.