Stonecrop Hylotelephium 'Matrona'
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Stonecrop:
Previously known as:
- Sedum 'Matrona'
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-lo-teh-LEF-fee-um mah-TROH-nah
- Description
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Matrona Stonecrop is a drought-tolerant cultivar with a reputation for vigorous growth and hardiness.
They are easy to grow indoors with bright direct light from a window or grow light. Use a coarse, well-drained soil, preferably a cactus mix. 'Matrona' also does well outdoors in full sun or part shade and well-drained soil. The plant tolerates rocky and poor soils, establishes itself quickly, and is heat tolerant once established. The succulent leaves make it drought and dry-soil tolerant.
Its blossoms and foliage provide interest from early summer into winter with a mass of pink flowers on top of ruby-colored stems and purple leaves that turn bronze in the winter. It is easy to grow and low maintenance. It can be grown as a houseplant, ground cover, or in containers. This cultivar attracts butterflies and also tolerates deer and rabbits.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Slugs and snails. Avoid wet or poorly drained conditions. Taller sedum species with large flower heads are susceptible to flopping. Site in full sun and pinch back in spring to force thicker stems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hylotelephium
- Species:
- telephium
- Family:
- Crassulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Leaf Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia
- Distribution:
- Europe, Turkey, Northern Africa, North America
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Easy to Grow
- Edibility:
- Stems and leaves, when very young and tender, can be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked. Ingesting leaves in quantity can lead to stomach upset.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Succulent
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit follicular, membranous or leathery, often surrounded by a persistent membranous corolla, opening on the adaxial side, Seeds mostly minute, usually with fleshy endosperm.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Masses of pale pink flowers in densely packed, 5 inch umbrella-shaped, flower heads (resembling broccoli). Dense heads contain small, star-like pink flowers that change to bronze in winter.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Fleshy grey-green leaves with purple veins and tinged leaves. Leaves and flowers remain of interest through winter.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- Shiny dark burgundy stems that hold blossoms 18 to 24 inches high.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Recreational Play Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Poor Soil
- Rabbits
