Introduction
Green roofs are those with plants on their surfaces that are grown for aesthetic and ecological reasons. Sedums are plants that take heat, cold, drought, and rain, conditions that are found on any roof.
The Details
Green roofs are claimed to provide multiple benefits including:
- stormwater management
- energy conservation
- mitigation of urban heat island effects
- food for butterflies and birds.
Sedums are ideal plants to grow on roofs because there are many indestructible types that will spread out and cover a roof, leaving little spaced for weeds to germinate. By necessity, the soil on green roofs is shallow, and low-maintenance plants are ideal because they survive extreme conditions and require little input. Candidate species include:
- Sedum album
- Sedum ellacombianum
- Sedum ewersii
- Sedum spurium
- Sedum kamschaticum
The concept of a green roof is not accepted by all, and some critics argue they just don’t work.
Green Roofs Provide Sustainable Solutions
