Showy Stonecrop Hylotelephium spectabile
Other plants called Showy Stonecrop:
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
-
Sedum is one of the most dependable and lovely succulent perennial flowers belonging to the family Crassulaceae (stonecrop) tracing its origins to China. They grow in a clumping form at a medium rate 1 to 2 feet tall and wide.
Stonecrop is a succulent perennial requiring well-drained or gravelly soil with average to low fertility. While the plant does well in full sun, morning or afternoon shade is desirable as well. It can suffer in overly-moist or fertile soils. To maintain the bushy shape and thick stems, plants should be cut or pinched back in early spring. The stems can be pruned in summer to obtain a shorter bushier plant but will delay bloom time. This plant is drought and salt tolerant, resistant to browsing by rabbits, and requires little attention. It is easily rooted from stem cuttings.
The fleshy foliage grows with a mounding habit and is attractive even without blooms. The showy light pink flowers appear mid to late summer into fall and attract bees and butterflies. Leaving the brown seed heads on the plant will add some winter interest.
Plant as a specimen or in small groups, in rock or crevice gardens. It also works well in containers (indoors or outside), planted in the middle of borders, along a foundation or near a patio or walkway. The attractive flowers succulent leaves and the fact that it attracts pollinators make stonecrop a welcome addition to a children's garden.
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:
- Walkway at the Park, Cabarrus County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Meteor'
Deep rose flowers and gray-green foliage - 'Rosenteller'
Light green foliage, pink flowers
- 'Meteor'
- 'Meteor', 'Rosenteller'
- Tags:
















- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Meteor'
Deep rose flowers and gray-green foliage - 'Rosenteller'
Light green foliage, pink flowers
- 'Meteor'
- 'Meteor', '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
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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:
- 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
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-
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.
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-
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.
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-
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.
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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
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Rabbits
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans