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Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' (Showy Stonecrop) - A succulent perennial to 18 to 24 inches tall that has 1-2 inches wide cabbage-like rosettes of succulent pale blue-green ovate leaves to 4 inches long by 2 inches wide held from later winter to fall. The rich, dark pink flowers put on a spectacular show above the foliage in the summer and fall; first to appear in mid-summer are the attractive heads of tightly packed green flower buds that rise just above the foliage and by late summer these open in flat cluster to reveal a mass of tiny dark pink flowers.
Plant in sun in a dry well-drained soil and water regularly to occasionally - it is relatively drought tolerant as perennials go but needs to be irrigated more than most succulent plants. Foliage dies back during winter but is root hardy below -30 °F (USDA Zone 3). This plant can be a substantial element in the rock garden, perennial garden or spotted into a natural meadow setting. It attracts bees and butterflies to the garden and is resistant to predation by deer. If not pruned back it can provide some interest in winter as well as a food source for birds but stems should be removed prior to new buds opening in February.
This species, native to China and Japan, is now considered to have the name Hylotephium spectabile, but is most often still listed as Sedum spectabile or Sedum telephium. This group of Sedum was given the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993 and we have grown it continuously since 1996.
The information about Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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