10 Stunning Sedums for Dry, Sunny Areas of the Garden

Go beyond Autumn Joy to discover a world of diverse habits and surprising hues

For many people , the mention of hardysedumsinitially brings to bear in mind classicAutumn Joy sedum(Sedum‘Herbstfreude ’ , syn . S. ‘ Autumn Joy ’ , Zones 3–9 ) with its soothing green , fleshy leaf on vertical stems topped with pink bronze flowers . But once you jump down the sedum rabbit hole , there look to be no end to the number of sedum in sight . Also commonly know as stonecrops , this diverse group has many long - lived , time - honored varieties as well as newer choice that continue to seem in copiousness . sedum are popular with nurseryman worldwide — rightfully so with their relief of care andpropagation , drouth margin , leafage and prime appealingness , and extensive mountain chain of colors and sizes .

Taxonomists recently divided many sedums into raw genera base on floristic and botanical differences . The new genera areHylotelephium , Petrosedum , andPhedimus . This reclassification is n’t view as helpful by many gardeners , and the plants are still wide label with the genus nameSedumat garden centers and throughout the horticulture kingdom . I find that the easiest mode to separate them out is by wont ( or size / form ) ; the three independent single areground covers , medium - sizing sedums , and shrublike case ( also referred to as autumn sedums ) .

How do you sort these works out and plunk the ripe ones for your garden ? In my impression , use and rest of culture are the two most authoritative things in determine a sedum ’s gardenworthiness . I view as a sedum with a ripe habit to be a clumping plant with solid structure or a shaggy use that is not too heart-to-heart or leggy . This can mean thick , impregnable stems on the upright , shrublike forms — not too small or too erratic to survive without perfect condition . With intermediate - size or ground - cover sedums , a moderately vigorous plant that does n’t outcompete other plants while holding its ground in the garden ranks high up in my playscript .

Some sedum require especially dry growing experimental condition . The ones I recommend are more adaptable . While they do n’t wish wet locations , average moisture and soil weather work for all the ones suggested here . Many will permit a wanton shade situation , but sedums are notshade plants .

Sedums at a glance

Name : Sedumspp . and cvs . Zones:3–11

condition : Full sun ; average to dry out , well - enfeeble dirt

aboriginal range : Northern hemisphere and arid regions of South America

pest and diseases : No serious problem

Propagation : Division , cutting , and seed

Ground-cover favorites with charming and diverse leaf shapes

‘John Creech’

Sedum land covering tend to remain down , under 6 in improbable , and to overspread along the grease surface . The option are legion , but there are for sure some standouts . ‘John Creech’(S. spurium‘John Creech ’ , Zones 3–9 ) features small , rounded green leaf that appear rosette - ilk on its sturdy theme . The extradense clump spread to 4 column inch tall and 12 column inch wide ( or more ) . Rose pinkish flowers show up in early summer .

‘Angelina’s Teacup’

If you ’re a fan of the pop golden , needlelike foliage of ‘ Angelina ’ ( S. rupestre‘Angelina ’ , Zones 5–9 ) , then you ’re going to bed its successor—‘Angelina ’s Teacup’(S. rupestre‘Angelina ’s Teacup ’ , Zones 5–9 ) . This variant has the same not bad leaf , only on a tighter - growing form that reaches 3 in tall and 12 inches wide . The leaf really is the star of the show , as this selection does not flower .

‘Weihenstephaner Gold’

‘ Weihenstephaner Gold’(S. kamtschaticumvar.floriferum‘Weihenstephaner Gold ’ , Zones 3–8 ) is another dandy choice , especially for cold wintertime climate . It ’s an evergreen earth cover that grows 4 to 6 inches grandiloquent and 12 in broad with striking reddish wintertime foliage . Once it does green up in spring , the cupped and gently serrated leaves have an attractive dark green color . Then in the early summer , golden yellow flower clusters bloom just above the foliage .

Tip: Watch out for name changes

Recent DNA testing has cause industrial plant taxonomer to reclassify many sedum under new genus epithet : Hylotelephium , Petrosedum , andPhedimus . To avoid induce too many concern , this article sticks with the categorisation Sedum throughout , while acknowledging that these botanic reclassifications do subsist .

Medium-size cloud forms that produce an appealing wave of color

‘Pure Joy’

If you require to step up your sedum game , try these medium - size excerpt , which range from 6 to 12 inches tall . I call them “ cloud types ” because the peak can cover the entire plant life from top to bottom . If planted close ( 12 column inch or so apart ) and take into account to raise together seamlessly , they can seem as a monolithic dome of flowers . Picture not just the color of bubble gum but the shape of a bubble , and that ’s what‘Pure Joy’(S.‘Pure Joy ’ , Zones 3–9 ) search like in bloom in later summertime to early twilight . It has a bang-up mounding habit ( up to 12 inches tall and 20 inches wide ) with beautiful dispirited - green toothed leafage . There are also two celebrated , naturally come about mutations or sports that have arisen from ‘ complete Joy’—a bloodless variant called ‘ Bundle of Joy ’ ( S.‘Bundle of Joy ’ ) and a cherry pink bicolor form named ‘ Pride and Joy ’ ( S.‘Pride and Joy ’ ) .

‘Dazzleberry’ and ‘Plum Dazzled’

‘ Dazzleberry’ . exposure : millettephotomedia.com

‘ Plum Dazzled’ . Photo : millettephotomedia.com

There are also remarkable medium - size performers with plum- to purple - discolor parting from the SunSparkler ® series . They do not produce the same abundance of flowers , but you do n’t really require elegant foliage like this to be entirely cover under their raspberry pink blooms in late summertime . Both sturdy in Zones 4–9,‘Dazzleberry’(S.‘Dazzleberry ’ ) and‘Plum Dazzled’(S. ‘ Plum Dazzled ’ ) have calcareous violet foliage on vigorous plant , yet they only reach 8 inches marvellous with a nice spread head of 15 inches or more .

Shrublike sedums with sturdy stems that put on a show

‘Coraljade’

The shrublike autumn sedum resemble small , round woody plant growing up to 3 feet tall and blanket , depending on the motley . As one of the most pop sedum ( and perennials for that matter ) , Autumn Joy fall into this category . A freshly uncommitted selection that closely resembles Autumn Joy is‘Coraljade’(S.‘Coraljade ’ , Zones 3–9 ) . It has nearly the same lime tree green buds evolving into coral pink flush , but the foliage is thicker and sinister green . The ultimate size of it is more compact at 16 to 18 inches tall and 26 to 30 inches wide .

‘Lime Joy’, ‘Thunderhead’ and ‘Pillow Talk’

An even brusk and full autumn - type sedum,‘Lime Joy’(S.‘Lime Joy ’ , Zones 4–9 ) , is a delicious , vigorous flora that only contact 15 inches magniloquent and 18 inches wide and has broad lime - colour bud in midsummer . The 6 - inch flower head open with magenta petals in late summer . If you require that bright color in a taller plant , I recommend‘Thunderhead’(S.‘Thunderhead ’ ) or‘Pillow Talk’(S.‘Pillow talk of the town ’ ) . Hardy in Zones 4–9 , these are both 18- to 24 - inch - tall - and - wide plant life that are topped with square ( up to 6 in wide ) flower head that last through wintertime . ‘ Pillow Talk ’ sports bright immature foliage with red prow , while ‘ Thunderhead ’ has violet leaf . I use the ornamental seed brain in holiday medal .

‘ Thunderhead’ . picture : millettephotomedia.com

‘ Pillow Talk’ . Photo : Bill Johnson

While sedum are being reclassify taxonomically , the best of these varied plants will easily place upright the test of time in the garden .

More on sedums:

Brent Horvath , author ofThe Plant Lover ’s Guide to Sedums , is the president of and head flora breeder at Intrinsic Perennial Gardens , a sweeping glasshouse in Hebron , Illinois .

Sources

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