Why sedums are the plants that keep on giving from April through winter
Sedums offer reliable excitement from April right through winter
You may think me odd, but the perennials I praise highly in December are those commonly known as border sedums, or stonecrops. I realise you might be thinking ‘why?’, as their pink or white summer flowers have long since faded. But the reason is they stand strong in the border and look simply magical with a dusting of frost. I’ve been known to use a few of the dried winter flower heads when making a Christmas wreath for the front door.
I’ve a strange fondness for these easy-grow, hardy perennials. In the early 1990s I worked at a garden centre and they were so popular. The then called Sedum spectabile (now Hylotelephium spectabile) and Sedum telephium ‘Purple Emperor’ (Hylotelephium telephium ‘Purple Emperor’) jumped off the shelves and went home with nearly every customer. It’s no surprise when you consider that they’re rabbit and deer proof, attract butterflies and bees, are largely disease resistant and once established can even cope with drought. These truly are wonder plants and remain a firm favourite. The only problem you may encounter is the dreaded vine weevil. They’re attracted to all sedums, so if your plant suddenly keels over, dig it up and check for the white grubs. Vine weevil tend to be more of an issue if plants are grown in containers. It’s in autumn and winter that the grubs are active and happily feeding on plant roots.
Long-lasting flowers
Sedums offer months of interest, starting with the emergence of their fleshy foliage in spring. In summer, the long-lasting flowers resemble heads of broccoli when in bud, but later open into a mass of tiny, starry, pink or white flowers, which are stunning. They make an unusual
and long-lasting cut flower, but I prefer to keep my blooms in the border. As these flowers fade in autumn they offer a wonderful crisp brown colour throughout the winter and seem to remain in good shape, often right into the new year.
There are many different border sedums available and the differences between some are very hard to spot. You’ll find them still sold as sedums in a lot of nurseries, which I’m thankful for as the new name is a bit of a mouthful so I can’t see it catching on quickly! The good news is that the majority are about 3060cm (1-2ft) tall and form neat clumps, so they’re all suitable for the front or middle of a sunny border. You rarely, if ever, see a border sedum that has taken over or shunted other plants out of the way. They’re well-mannered members of the flower border, so you can happily choose your favourite variety without having any concerns for their behaviour.
Variegated foliage
The stand-out plants for me include
H. spectabile (Brilliant Group) ‘Brilliant’ for its sturdy form and profusion of pink flowers, ‘Matrona’ for its burgundy-coloured leaves and stems and one of the lower-growing forms also with maroon foliage ‘Xenox’.
If you prefer white flowers, then
H. spectabile ‘Iceberg’ is a cracking plant.
Its foliage is pale green, and it has a height of 45cm (1½ft). For white flowers and variegated foliage, H. erythrostictum ‘Frosty Morn’ should be your choice.
A south-facing position is the perfect home for a border sedum. The succulent stems and fleshy foliage leave them well-equipped to cope with a hot spot. Although these robust plants can manage with an exposed site, by planting in a sunny, sheltered spot you’ll really get the most out of these hardy perennials. A warm and still flower border is where butterflies and bees flock and on hot days expect to be truly amazed by the number of pollinating insects that come to visit your sedums.
As for soil type, they’re happy in a welldrained, neutral or alkaline chalk, sand or loam. Once your plants have clumped up, they’re able to cope well with periods of drought and after a few years of establishment can be lifted and divided in spring to make more plants.
As for maintenance they’re undemanding. They won’t require a plant support as their dense cluster of stems seem to support each other. Most gardeners choose to leave the stems of their border sedums standing over winter and then cut the faded stems right back to the ground in early spring. Alternatively, you can cut the stems hard back in autumn, but I promise you’ll miss out on the winter fabulousness this plant can offer by being too hasty with the secateurs. Bring on the frost!