Ditch Stonecrop

This herbaceous perennial plant is about 1-2' tall. It is either unbranched or branches occasionally in the upper half. The stems are light green to red, terete or angular, and glabrous to slightly hairy. The alternate leaves are up to 4" long and 1" across. They are elliptic or narrowly ovate, finely serrated along the margins, and glabrous. The leaves have prominent midveins, and their petioles are either absent or they are short and slender. The upper leaf surface varies from yellowish green to medium green, depending on the stage of development and environmental conditions.

The upper stems terminate in cymes of flowers or cyme-like panicles of flowers that are about 1-3" across. Each cyme has 2-4 flowering stalks that spread outward; the flowers are aligned along the upper sides of these stalks. Sometimes shorter stalks of flowers develop from the primary stalks. Each flower is about ¼" across, consisting of 5 green spreading sepals, 10 stamens, and 5 beaked carpels that are joined together in the center. Petals are not usually present. The flowers are yellowish green to white. The blooming period occurs during the summer and lasts about a month. During the autumn, the carpels turn red and develop into seed capsules. Each of these capsules contain numerous small seeds. Individual seeds are narrowly oblongoid, tapering at one end. The surface of each seed is covered with tiny bumps. The root system produces rhizomes or stolons, which enables this plant to form clonal colonies.