Welcome to the glorious world of autumn! Get ready to be captivated by the beauty and versatility of Sedum plants. In this article, we’ll take you by the hand on a tour full of colors, textures, and flavors, as we explore the ultimate guide to Sedum plants for this season. From enchanting gardens to delicious recipes, discover how to make the most of these wonderful plant species during the joyful autumn days. Let’s dive into the world of Autumn Joys!
BENEFITS OF GROWING SEDUM PLANTS
In autumn, the season’s earth colors (reddish, gold, and beige) indicate cooler temperatures ahead. And nothing takes the stage this time of year like the classic perennial sesum, Autumn Joy. With her maroon flower buds, Autumn Joy has become something of a sedum poster boy.
But it is by no means the only worthy example of this broad family of plants. Many charming sedums offer an amazing variety of flower and foliage colors that are sure to capture your imagination and enhance your garden, and not just in autumn.
In addition, most sedums require as little maintenance as Autumn Joy, and require little more than a sunny spot on well-draininvg soil. Because they are technically succulent, they survive drought or abandonment, thanks to their juicy, moisture-retaining leaves and hardy root systems. And unlike their relatives, jade and cacti, sedums are cold-resistant in much of the country.
SEDUM PLANT CARE TIPS
- Sun: Full sun is best, although partial shade is tolerable in warmer areas.
- Soil: soil with good drainage of medium quality adapts to sedums.
- Water: For border sedums, maintain beauty and health with regular watering; Just don’t overdo it.
- Fertilizer: Not necessary! Sedums grow robustly without much fertilizer.
- Pests and diseases – these problems are fortunately rare. Aphids can accumulate on the leaves of young border sedums and can be dislodged with a heavy spray from the hose.
- Planting time: spring is better. In more temperate climates, autumn planting also works. Just be sure to put your sedums on the ground before the first frost.
- Division: Divide the bushes every 3 to 5 years. Otherwise, many sedums lose vigor.
USE HIGH SEDUMS ON THE EDGES
Border sedums generally fall within the range of 1 to 2 feet, with Autumn Joy being the most familiar example. They grow more or less upright and have dense, domed flower heads composed of small starry flowers, much like a colorful broccoli head. The foliage is thick, fleshy and succulent, ranging from sage and green to smoky blue and garnet.
Most border sedums come alive in summer with lime-green buds that open into pink or white flowers. These tend to darken to a dark pink or red and then turn into a rich rust or bronze as the season comes to an end.
Sedums not only offer dynamic beauty from summer to fall, but also provide a popular setting for butterflies. And if their winters aren’t too harsh, they’ll hold firm for months longer: their broad shapes contrast with the brown, threadbare foliage of nearby plants or perhaps accumulating a layer of snow over their dried flower heads.
BORDER SEDUM COMPLEMENTARY PLANTS
Border sedum thrive in the company of other plants because they are calm and non-aggressive. They look great among late-season bloomers, such as asters, cultured goldenrods and boltonias, where they provide a contrasting or harmonizing color. Gray or silver-leaved companions, such as sagebrush and sage, have the advantage of complementing the changing colors of their border sedums from season to season.
Try planting border sedums interspersed with ornamental or favorite grasses with leaves like lilies and lilies (whose flowers are gone, or almost gone, when sedums become their own). With their narrow foliage fountains, they create a pretty backdrop for your sculptural sedum.
If you prefer to avoid mating, appreciate the colorful flower heads accumulating their border sedums. Without a doubt, a patch or tape of them makes a dazzling spectacle. Or experiment by adding some new varieties to your perennial edge to create a tapestry effect.
MAGNIFICENT LOW-GROWTH SEDUMS
There are also a large number of low-growing sedums that cover the soil, or “stonecrops” as some nurseries call them. These charming little ones usually stay between 4 and 6 inches tall as they expand.
Like their larger cousins, they have succulent leaves (which tend to be evergreen in temperate climates), carry their starry flowers in clusters, and thrive in average soils and sunny locations.
Due to their smaller size, ground-covering sedums are often used as botanical carpets, either in open ground or resting on rocks and walls (note that a lush, massive appearance takes a few seasons to develop). Unfortunately, they are generally not sturdy enough to withstand foot traffic.
Individual plants, particularly those with striking foliage or flowers, are great for rock gardens, although sometimes it is necessary to reduce their wandering paths by pulling some off.
These sedums can also soften the edges of formal displays in urn-like pots or gutter gardens. Alone, they will thrive in shallow pots filled with sandy soil.
Many gardeners prefer these soil covers alone or combined with each other. I know an adventurous gardener who collected floors full of low sedums for sale at the end of summer, planted them on an embankment and has since enjoyed its beautiful foliage and jewel-like color schemes.
The related succulents, hens and chicks (sempervirens), thrive in the same environments and are popular bedfellows. Its slightly larger scale and bold clusters of star-shaped flowers create dramatic contrasts. No matter how you use them, you’ll appreciate how simple and reliably attractive these plants are.
THE BEST SEDUMS FOR BORDERS
- Brilliant (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Bright’) reaches up to 1-1/2 feet tall. Its large flower heads are bright mauve pink.
- Midwife (Hylotelephium telephium ‘Matron’) has sage green to grey foliage with hints of lavender, bordered with pink. Its flowers are smoke pink.
- Meteorite (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Meteor’) is very similar to Brilliant, but its rich purple-pink flowers are even more vivid.
- Ruby Glow (hylotelefio ‘Ruby Glow’) features reddish stems, ruby-red flower heads, and green leaves bordered or tinged with dark purple or red; It is often less than a foot tall.
- Stardust (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Stardust’) has almost white flowers and bluish-green leaves.
- Sunset Cloud (hilotelefio ‘Sunset Cloud’) sports chalk-blue leaves; The flower heads are a rich pinkish-red color. It is somewhat shorter than other border sedums.
- Vera Jameson (hylotelefio ‘Vera Jameson’) has soft, waxy blue foliage that later turns purple-maroon or even bronze, and magenta flower heads, a magnificent contrast. He is often less than a foot tall.
THE BEST SEDUMS FOR FLOOR COVERINGS
- Coral Carpet (Hylotelephium ‘Coral Carpet’ album) has tiny leaves that change from a vibrant green to a reddish bronze in winter; Star-shaped white flowers appear above the foliage.
- Russian cat grape (Hylotelephium kamtschaticum) forms a dense mat of green leaves, vaguely resembling a tiny, succulent version of pachysandra. The cultivar Variegatum has white-edged leaves.
- Christmas cheer (Hylotelephium x rubrotinctum) measures less than 6 inches, with yellow flowers and plump red and green leaves. Hardy only in zones 9 and 10, its red coloration becomes more pronounced in lighter or colder climates, hence the name.
- Angelina stone crop (Hylotelephium rupestre ‘Angelina’) is an aggressive spreader. It has bright yellow flowers and yellowish-green foliage that often turns amber in the fall.
- Cabo Blanco (Hylotelephium spathuliofolium ‘Cape Blanco’) has light grey leaves, pink stems and yellow flowers.
Stone harvest from two rows of dragon’s blood (Hylotelephium spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’) is spectacular, with its greenish bronze to darker red foliage and burgundy flowers.