As a plant whose alternate name is Sedum spectabile, this Hylotelphium species is a close relative! They all share the familiar fleshy succulent leaves and intriguing flowers, typically with five petals. Sedum encompasses an incredible 400-500 different succulent species, including many popular houseplants like burro’s tail ( Sedum morganianum) and gold moss stonecrop ( S. The genus Sedum dates back to Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who named these plants based on the Latin term sedo, meaning “to sit,” referring to a plant that sits on rocks, walls, or roofs. This cultivar is an award-winning hybrid developed by German plant breeders, who originally called it ‘Herbstfreude,’ which directly translates to “autumn joy.” Also known as stonecrops, many ancestors of sedums are native to China, but some are indigenous to North America. This sedum is a member of the Crassulaceae family. Where Does It Originate? Part of the Crassulaceae family, this sedum has ancestors from China and North America. The seedheads dry into a mahogany red that adds winter interest and provides a food source for birds. In the spirit of its autumnal name, the plant shines when the colorful flowers darken into a rosy bronze hue, adding splashes of golden copper throughout August and September. In midsummer, flower stalks shoot upward, producing clusters of pale pink blooms. The swirling Brussels-sprouts-shaped buds emerge in spring and grow into paddle-shaped succulent leaves. Like most sedums, it has succulent drought-tolerant foliage that looks gorgeous throughout the frost-free season. A plant of many names, it is sometimes sold as Sedum spectabile or, more recently, Hylotelphium spectabile ‘Autumn Joy.’ ‘Autumn Joy’ is a dazzling herbaceous perennial plant with clusters of waxy, star-like pink flowers that turn a lovely copper color in the fall garden. What is ‘Autumn Joy’ Sedum? Hylotelphium spectabile is a stunning perennial with pink star-like flowers that turn copper in the fall. The herbaceous shrubs can thrive with little to no supplemental irrigation or fertilizer if they have sunlight and well-drained or gravelly soil.

These drought-tolerant plants are among the most dependable and resilient perennials you can plant. in the 1950s, the succulent leaves and rosy pink clusters of star-shaped blooms have earned it a place in millions of North American landscapes. ‘Autumn Joy’ is a special cultivar developed for its eye-catching aesthetic during the year. Sedums or stonecrops are well-known garden ornamentals with gorgeous flowers that appear in late summer and fall. History and Cultivation Sedums are popular garden plants known for their resilience in North American landscapes with little water and sunlight. Let’s dig into the ridiculously easy steps to growing and propagating this carefree ornamental. In the spring, the plant returns with adorable swirling clusters of green buds that grow to paddle-shaped succulent florets before the flowering cycle begins again. The clustered blooms darken to a striking bronze color in the fall, developing burgundy seedheads to feed winter birds.įrom extreme heat to frigid winters, this vigorous plant is extremely hardy and easily overwinters down to zone 3. The plant provides year-round ornamental appeal, with dazzling pinkish-red flowers that butterflies adore. It is drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, resistant to rabbits and deer, and practically grows itself. ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum is a dream come true for any gardener who needs a beautiful accent to rock gardens, containers, borders, or xeriscaped beds. Amidst the thirsty lawns and high-maintenance roses of the landscape world, every garden could use a lowkey herbaceous perennial that looks gorgeous with little effort.

Autumn joy sedum purple