Sedums are a plant that likes it lean and mean :-) Enriched or amended garden soils tend to produce lush but weak growth that will splay out or flop rather than growing more vertically. Poorer soils, as long as they have good drainage, will provide more upright, stronger growth.

Cutting back - the infamous Chelsea Chop - by a third to a half in mid to late May should also help to generate stiffer stems and more upright plants. And avoid fertilizing or over watering.

agree with everything she said .. and add.. that if you have a pic to share.. we could confirm such ...

back in suburbia.. when i had highly amended gorgeous soil ... and copious water ... mine also flopped... i moved to bare yellow sand.. threw them in a hole.. watered at planting ... and NEVER watered or fertd them ... and they grew to specs ... just pure benign neglect ... and they loved it ... might say.. i almost grew them like succulents ..

your plant might also be over mature... spring is a time to tear apart a big clump ... and make more of the plant you currently dont like ... lol ...

wouldnt be surprised if you cant just shove cutting in the ground and multiply them also ..

there arent a lot of things blooming when they bloom.. so i always have them around... and boy are they bee magnets .... perhaps again... because not much else is blooming at that time ... and the color is rather unique ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVg7ez8HPu0

based on such ... i might not line a walkway with them ... but in my experience.. the bees are so busy they just ignore you .... though i wouldnt fall drunkenly fall face first into the plant. . lol ... no use tempting fate ... lol ..

ken

Today I went to thin out the A. J. sedums. Then I realized the neighbor who gave me the original cuttings moved away almost twenty years ago. Those plants had spread quite a bit over the years. I'll find out in a few months if this helps them be taller. Thanks for the advice!.

Thanks again for the advice. For the 1st time in years I'm enjoying these sedums. They are tall and straight--and leaner after being thinned out.

@Gardengal - I have been reflecting on this, as I understood that sedums were as you described. A few years ago my AJ were doing the splay thing, and I tried the Chelsea chop for a few years, which was okay. I was listening to a on online presentation and the thinking was - surprise - these things may actually like more water than previously thought. Sure enough, this year, with the heaviest summer rain season in recent memory, the AJ have been standing tall and erect - absolutely no action on my part, which has been great - one less thing to “tend”, at least for this year!