Sedum Herbstfreude - Autumn Stonecrop

The Sedum 'Autumn Joy' or Autumn Stonecrop is a succulent plant that is easy to care for. It has beautiful bluish-green foliage in spring and yellow-orange foliage in autumn. Its abundant and dense dark red or wine-coloured flowering becomes brownish in late autumn—a perfect companion plant for dahlias and wormwoods.

Formerly called Sedum 'Autumn Joy', Sedum 'Autumn Stonecrop' is a cross between Sedum telephium and Sedum spectabile. Although considered an old hybrid, it retains all its freshness and interest in the garden.

Sedum 'Autumn Stonecrop' is a perennial plant that grows in clumps of erect stems, reaching up to 50 cm (19.7 in) in height and 40 cm (15.7 in) in width. As part of the more prominent Stonecrop family, its upright green stems bear semi-evergreen, pedunculate, thick, fleshy leaves arranged oppositely. They are bluish-green in colour and have an oval-oblong shape with undulate and serrated margins. In autumn, its succulent foliage will take on yellow-orange autumnal colours. It has a late flowering period from August to October, consisting of densely packed clusters of tiny flowers that start dark red and evolve into wine-coloured brown throughout autumn. These corymbs (clusters) at the tops of the stems will completely cover the plant, creating a carpet of flowers that will attract bees and birds.

Easy to grow and highly hardy (-20°C), it has one weakness: it is sensitive to moist soils during winter. It prefers a sunny position but can adapt to hot and dry climates and tolerate partial shade for part of the day in well-drained, dry to moist, slightly alkaline or acidic soils.

Its decorative appearance for an extended period allows it to enhance flower beds with wormwoods, dahlias, or hebes, as well as mixed borders with grasses such as stipas or fescues.

Did you know? Stonecrops were once medicinal plants for treating burns, cuts, and haemorrhages.

To keep your plant healthy, it is recommended to divide it every 3 to 4 years, either in spring or after flowering. This will rejuvenate the plant and prevent the central stems from disappearing. Another way to propagate the plant is through cuttings. However, as stonecrops are a preferred food source for deer, make sure to protect them if you have any visiting your garden.