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Sedum 'Autumn Joy' |
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| | By mid-October, the flowers have taken on their burnished color |
| Synonym(s) |
Sedum 'Herbstfreude' |
| Common name |
showy stonecrop |
| Family |
crassulaceae |
| Life cycle |
perennial |
| Flowers |
mauve (autumn) |
| Size |
18" |
| Light |
full sun |
| Cultural notes |
not fussy |
It's no surprise that this is such a stand-by perennial. The tiny little foliage "cabbages" appear by late winter, and develop into a tidy low mound by summer. In fall, upright stalks carry pink flowerheads, the color deepening to brick red as the flowers age. A bee and butterfly favorite. For the most part, absolutely trouble-free - aphids may be a problem if it is grown in shadier conditions.
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In our garden, this plant grows in the following areas: rock garden, back yard island One or more images of this plant are included in my stock photo catalog About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Visitors to this page have left the following comments| Tom Todd | Sep 26, 2008 | My Sedum Herbstfreude is in full sun. I do not fertilize it. I water this area to support other plants. Problem is, my Sedum is 36 to 45 inches tall and begins to fall over just when it gets pretty in the fall. I can't determine what is causing this kind of growth as other Sedum in other areas stays about 20"
Hmm, that's very tall indeed for that cultivar. Either you have some kind of a mutation (unlikely), or exceptionally good growing conditions (naturally fertile soil, combined with the supplemental watering). They are easy to divide, perhaps make a few extra plants and see how they do in other, drier areas of your garden? |
| Nancy Millar | Jan 16, 2009 | For the past two years my Autumn Joys have been very small, not nearly as large as in the past. Why would that be? Do I need to divide them every so often? They don't seem to be spreading. Do they need to be fertilized?
The sedums don't need rich soil to thrive. Full sun exposure is key. I don't know why your plants aren't as vigorous as they once were - dividing is certainly a way to get new plants going in different conditions, where they may be happier. |
| karen | Jun 28, 2009 | I have this particular sedum as a border plant in my cottage garden. It was strategically placed in front of a pocket of phlox. It not only hides the sometimes ratty bottoms of the phlox, it also supports the stalks, keeping them from falling over when they are in full bloom. Additionally, the pink flowers of autumn joy take center stage just as my phlox are bowing out. |
| Mary S | Sep 22, 2009 | Hi my sedums are beautiful and very big they all fall over like a elephant has sat in the middle of them. Do they make a cage or support for them I should put around them in the spring? Is there anything I can do now for them?
Thanks Mary
Mary - my guess is these sedums either have very fertile soil, or don't receive full sun. These conditions may cause them to reach up higher, only to flop down; mine, planted in full sun and only medium fertility, happily stay upright, even in a rainy year like we're experiencing now. |
| Sam | Oct 02, 2009 | I have what appears to be an Autumn Joy in my front yard, it was there when we moved in. I would like to put it in a pot and want to know when would be the best time to do that. I live in Zone 7a if that makes a difference.
The plant is likely to get disheveled if you move it now, although it will certainly survive. I would wait till spring, so you can enjoy the spent flowerheads the rest of this season. |
| diane | Nov 13, 2009 | My Mom has sedum plants and we are wondering how to get seeds from them so she can bring them to me in another state?
thanks, diane
I don't know if Autumn Joy sets seed - I've certainly never noticed offspring. It roots easily, so a cutting or small offset may be better. |
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Last modified:
October 11, 2008
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