This is another of the numerous hybrids created during the research of Charles Uhl at Cornell University, many of which have horticultural potential. It was received as a Sedum hybrid from the collection of the late Jerry Barad in 2016, who received it from Uhl himself. Uhl reports many of his crosses in Rhodora 80, 1978, and writes “Hybrids of S. cuspidatum with S. lucidum... also show essentially normal meiosis...”. This appears to be that hybrid, according to Margaret Bischofberger of the International Crassulaceae Network, who kindly provided this information. When grown in the greenhouse, it produces somewhat elongate, columnar stems cloaked in spiraling leaves of light green with reddish margins without the glaucousness of Sedum cuspidatum. The subtle faceting can appear in either parent, but the glossiness is from Sedum lucidum (Latin lucidus means shining and is the same root from which the Spanish word luz, meaning light, is derived). It produces more or less flat-topped cymes of pretty, white flowers with pinkish carpels and green stigmas. These inflorescences are especially attractive in the early stages when the flowers are mixed with the buds, which have reddish sepals and matching midstripes on the backs of the petals. As both species have the same chromosome number of n = 68, this should be a fertile hybrid and may lead to other interesting hybrids in future. Rooted cuts of HBG 126306. $6.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 93 (2), Summer 2021