Ice Plant Hylotelephium spectabile
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Ice Plant:
Previously known as:
- Sedum spectabile
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-loh-te-LEH-fee-um speck-TAB-ih-lee
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Stonecrop is a clumping, perennial succulent in the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae) and is native to China and Korea. It forms a mound 1 to 2 feet high and wide.
Stonecrop requires full sun or partial shade and well-drained or gravelly soil with average to low fertility. It can suffer in overly moist or fertile soils. To maintain a bushy shape and thick stems, cut or pinch back the stems in early spring. If pruned in summer, the showy blooms may be delayed. It is drought- and salt-tolerant, resistant to browsing by rabbits (but not by deer), and requires little attention. It is easily rooted from stem cuttings.
Plant as a specimen or in small groups in rock, crevice, or drought-tolerant gardens. It also works well in containers (indoors or outside), in borders, along a foundation, near a patio or pool hardscape, or along a walkway. The showy flowers, succulent leaves, and the fact that it attracts songbirds and butterflies make stonecrop a welcome addition to a children's or pollinator garden or a recreational play area.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Aphids, mealybugs, nematodes, scale, slugs and weevils can be problematic. Wet soils cause rot.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Butterfly Garden at Rob Wallace Park
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Autumn Fire'
bluish-green foliage with dusky pink flowers
'Autumn Joy'
- 'Brillant' Group
pale grayish-green foliage with tiny star-like carmine flowers - 'Carl'
rosettes of bluish-green foliage, tiny pink flowers - 'Hot Stuff'
pale green leaves with bright purplish-pink flowers - 'Iceberg'
pale green leaves with bright white flowers - 'Meteor'
Deep rose flowers and gray-green foliage - 'Neon'
light green foliage with rosy-magenta flowers - 'Rosenteller'
Light green foliage, pink flowers
Bright pink flowers - 'Autumn Fire'
- 'Autumn Fire', 'Autumn Joy', 'Brillant' Group, 'Carl', 'Hot Stuff', 'Iceberg', 'Meteor', 'Neon', 'Rosenteller'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Autumn Fire'
bluish-green foliage with dusky pink flowers
'Autumn Joy'
- 'Brillant' Group
pale grayish-green foliage with tiny star-like carmine flowers - 'Carl'
rosettes of bluish-green foliage, tiny pink flowers - 'Hot Stuff'
pale green leaves with bright purplish-pink flowers - 'Iceberg'
pale green leaves with bright white flowers - 'Meteor'
Deep rose flowers and gray-green foliage - 'Neon'
light green foliage with rosy-magenta flowers - 'Rosenteller'
Light green foliage, pink flowers
Bright pink flowers - 'Autumn Fire'
- 'Autumn Fire', 'Autumn Joy', 'Brillant' Group, 'Carl', 'Hot Stuff', 'Iceberg', 'Meteor', 'Neon', 'Rosenteller'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hylotelephium
- Species:
- spectabile
- Family:
- Crassulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China and Korea
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts butterflies
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Textural
- Edibility:
- Stems and leaves, when very young and tender, may be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked. Flavor is bland.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Poisonous
- Succulent
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
-
-
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:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
-
-
Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Seed heads can be left on for winter interest.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers appear in flat-topped cymes 4-6 inches across that are packed with 1/2 inch star-shaped flowers. Flowers are in shades of pink and turn dark reddish-brown with age. Bloom time is late summer to fall.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3-inch blue-green fleshy oval leaves have coarsely toothed margins. The opposite leaves can occur in whorls of 3.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Unbranched fleshy stems
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Pool/Hardscape
- Recreational Play Area
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Rabbits
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
