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- All other flowering non-woody plants
- All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
- Sedum sexangulare
Sedum sexangulare — six-angled stonecrop
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Facts
Native to Europe, six-angled stonecrop was first reported growing in the United States in 1942. There are now scattered occurrences in parts of New England and parts of the Midwest.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
 
- Flower petal color
- yellow
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- 
                                
                                    - there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
 
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Stamen number
- 10
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- 
                        Clonal plantlets- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
 - Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
 
- 
                        Flowers- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
 - Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
 - Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
 - Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
 - Carpels fused
- the carpel is solitary or (if 2 or more) the carpels are not fused to one another
 - Cilia on petals
- the petal margins do not have cilia
 - Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
 - Corolla morphology
- NA
 - Corolla palate
- no
 - Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
 - Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
 - Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
 - Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
 - Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
 - Flower number
- 5–25
 - Flower orientation
- the flower points upwards or is angled outwards
 - Flower petal color
- yellow
 - Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
 - Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
 - Flowers sunken into stem
- no
 - Form of style
- the flower has two or more completely separate styles
 - Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
 - Fused stamen clusters
- NA
 - Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
 - Hairs on inflorescence
- the axis of the inflorescence has no hairs on it
 - Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
 - Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
 - Hypanthium length
- 0 mm
 - Inflorescence one-sided
- 
                                
                                    - the flowers are all or nearly all arrayed on one side of the inflorescence axis or branches of the inflorescence
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
 
 - Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
 - Length of flower stalk
- Up to 0.5 mm
 - Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
 - Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
 - Number of branches in umbel
- 0
 - Number of carpels
- 5
 - Number of pistils
- 5
 - Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- 
                                
                                    - there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
 
 - Number of styles
- 5
 - Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
 - Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
 - Petal and sepal colors
- yellow
 - Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
 - Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
 - Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
 - Petal length
- 3–4 mm
 - Petal length relative to sepals
- the petals are longer than the sepals
 - Petal number
- 5
 - Petal shape
- 
                                
                                    - the petal outline is elliptic (shaped like an ellipse; widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the petal outline is linear (extremely narrow, thread-like)
 
 - Petal tip shape
- 
                                
                                    - the petal tip is acuminate (tapers to a very narrow point)
- the petal tip is acute (sharply pointed)
 
 - Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
 - Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
 - Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
 - Scales inside corolla
- no
 - Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
 - Sepal appearance
- the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture
 - Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
 - Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
 - Sepal color
- 
                                
                                    - green to brown
- yellow
 
 - Sepal length
- 0.8–1 mm
 - Sepal number
- 5
 - Sepal orientation
- the sepals are pressed against the corolla, or jutting stiffly upward
 - Sepal relative length
- NA
 - Sepal shape
- 
                                
                                    - the sepal outline is eliiptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the sepal outline is linear (extremely narrow, thread-like)
 
 - Sepal tip shape
- the sepal tip is obtuse (is bluntly pointed)
 - Sepal uniformity
- one or more of the sepals is much narrower or shorter than the others
 - Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
 - Stamen attachment
- 
                                
                                    - the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
 
 - Stamen number
- 10
 - Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
 - Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
 - Stigma position
- the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
 - Style length
- 5 mm
 - Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
 - Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
 - Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
 
- 
                        Fruits or seeds- Achene relative orientation
- NA
 - Achene shape
- NA
 - Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
 - Achene type
- NA
 - Berry color
- NA
 - Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
 - Capsule splitting
- NA
 - Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
 - Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
 - Fruit locules
- one
 - Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
 - Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a follicle (has one ovary that splits along one side to release the seeds)
 - Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
 - Mericarp length
- 0 mm
 - Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
 - Other markings on berry
- NA
 - Placenta arrangement
- marginal
 - Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
 - Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
 - Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
 - Seed length
- 1 mm
 - Seed number
- At least 1
 - Seed surface
- 
                                
                                    - the seed is covered with reticulate markings (a netlike pattern due to splitting and rejoining of lines or ridges)
- the seed is covered with short, round or cylindrical projections (papillae)
 
 - Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
 - Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
 - prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
 
- 
                        Glands or sap- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
 - Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
 - Sap color
- the sap is clear
 
- 
                        Growth form- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
 - Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant has stolons
 - Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
 - Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
 - Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
 - Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
 - Underground organs
- there are only slender roots on the plant
 
- 
                        Leaves- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
 - Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
 - Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
 - Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
 - Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
 - Floral bract texture
- the floral bracts are green, with a leaf-like texture
 - Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
 - Hairs on leaf stalk
- NA
 - Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
 - Hairs on upper side of leaf
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
 - Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- no
 - Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
 - Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
 - Leaf blade base
- the leaf has no stalk
 - Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
 - Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
 - Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
 - Leaf blade hairs
- NA
 - Leaf blade length
- 3–6 mm
 - Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
 - Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
 - Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade has a fleshy or spongy texture
 - Leaf blade width
- 0.8–2 mm
 - Leaf duration
- the leaves remain green all winter
 - Leaf form
- 
                                
                                    - the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- the leaves are small and thin and lack leaf stalks
 
 - Leaf hair orientation
- NA
 - Leaf sheath length
- 0 mm
 - Leaf shiny
- the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
 - Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
 - Leaf stalk
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
 - Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- NA
 - Leaf stalk base
- NA
 - Leaf stalk length
- 0 mm
 - Leaf teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
 - Leaf tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
 - Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 - Leaf types
- NA
 - Leaf variation
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
 - Leaflet number
- 0
 - Leaflet petiolules
- NA
 - Leaves per node
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
 - Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
 - Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 - Stipels
- NA
 - Stipule edges
- NA
 - Stipule features
- NA
 - Stipule fused to leaf stalk
- NA
 - Stipule length
- 0 mm
 - Stipule shape
- NA
 - Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
 - Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
 
- 
                        Place- Habitat
- terrestrial
 - New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
 
 - Specific habitat
- 
                                
                                    - man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
 
 
- 
                        Scent- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
 
- 
                        Stem, shoot, branch- Branched tendrils
- NA
 - Direction of stem hairs
- NA
 - Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
 - Hairs between stem nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
 - Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
 - Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
 - Length of hairs between stem nodes
- 0 mm
 - Plant height
- 6–15 cm
 - Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
 - Stem hair distribution
- NA
 - Stem orientation
- the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips
 - Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
 - Stem spacing
- the plant is growing in tufts, or compact clusters with closely spaced stems, or it is densely matted together in clumps, cushionlike
 - Stem succulence
- the stems are succulent
 - Tendril origin
- NA
 - Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
 - Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
 
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
7. Sedum sexangulare L. E
six-angled stonecrop. CT, MA, NH, VT. Gardens, cemeteries, roadsides.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Sedum acre:
- leaves not consistently arranged in vertical ranks, ovoid and petals 6-8 mm long (vs. S. sexangulare, with leaves arranged in 6 vertical ranks, cylindrical and petals 3-5 mm long).
 
                         
                        ![Leaves: Sedum sexangulare. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Crassulaceae/sedum-sexangulare-le-ahaines-a.jpg) 
                        ![Plant form: Sedum sexangulare. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Crassulaceae/sedum-sexangulare-ha-ahaines-b.jpg) 
                         
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