Sedum telphinum 'Autumn Joy' stonecrop from North Creek Nurseries

Sedum telphinum 'Autumn Joy'

Common: stonecrop

Sedum telephinum 'Autumn Joy' - 50 per flat

  • Height: 2'-3'
  • Spread: 2'
  • Spacing: 18"
  • Hardiness Zone(s): 3-9

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Plant Details

Bold clusters of closely packed, rosy pink flowers appear in late summer, age to a salmon bronze and finish with a deep coppery red in fall. An easy-to-grow plant that not only tolerates drought, but seems to thrive in it. Introduced by Georg Arends of Germany. A top 10 perennial for many years. This brilliant display of color is sure to urge the butterflies to stop and visit.


Characteristics & Attributes

Exposure

  • Full Sun

Soil Moisture Needs

  • Dry
  • Average

Green Infrastructure

  • Green Roof

Plug Type

  • Horticultural Plug

For Animals

  • Pollinator-friendly
  • Deer Resistant

Attributes

  • Cut Flower
  • Drought Tolerant

Season of Interest (Flowering)

  • Late Summer
  • Fall

Propagation Type

  • Vegetative

Care & Maintenance

S. 'Autumn Joy' prefers average to dry, well-drained soil in full sun. Intolerant of wet soils. Propagate by seed and cuttings, although division seems to be the easiest for most. Excellent in the perennial border, rock gardens, or mass plantings.

Interesting Notes

"Fall brings a new assortment of perennial plants into bloom in the garden, and of these, few are more dependable and indestructible than Autumn Joy Sedum.

While it is a bulletproof survivor in the garden, it is not the least bit invasive or prone to crowd out its neighbors. Sedums are a member of the stonecrop family which is uniquely adapted to survive in shallow, dry soils.

Autumn Joy grows up to 18 inches tall from a dense crown of shoots that emerge in early spring and look like a nest of crowded fledglings each stretching their neck to get the next worm. The stems are thick and strong and hold aloft the considerable weight of the 3-inch long, fleshy, gray-green leaves and the 4- to 6-inch wide cluster of flowers that appear in late summer.

The flowers, as they first begin to appear in mid summer, give the impression of a head of silvery green broccoli. Opening flower buds produce a mass of half-inch, five-petaled blooms in the shape of a sharp-pointed star. The flowers start out light pink and change to a cherry red by the time they are in full bloom. This floral display is a progressive event with the plants blooming for about eight weeks. With such an extended blooming period, they are a favorite with butterflies.

But once blooms are over, don’t be in a hurry to remove the tops of the plants. The strong stems hold the spent flower heads aloft all winter long and create a pleasing mass of natural dried flower heads. In snowy climates these flower stems create a pleasing effect all winter long as small roofs of snow accumulate on the head."-Gerald Klingaman, retired, Extension Horticulturist - Ornamentals, University of Arkansas