Happy Beginning of Fall!

Sedums are a large group of succulents- mostly small leafed and ground hugging but there are a few with larger flowers, growing into a 12-16″ perennial plant when it blooms. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is a standout, with its umbrellas of soft mauve flowers and big bloom in Fall. Often incorporated into flowering borders, these are a tough perennial that grows in leafy mound near ground level then develops flowering stalks in Fall reaching its full height. After bloom the plants go dormant in winter and then they regrow in Spring. I was very surprised to see them growing in our garden in New Hampshire. I was used to incorporating the plant into my designs in California but, there was Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ coming back up year after year despite snow and freezing rain. There are other Sedums on the property too, making the concept of succulents dying of freeze no longer a universal truth.

Here are a few Sedums- many of which you may have seen:

Another hybrid in the Autumn series is Sedum ‘Autumn Charm’- this plant has a white edge to the leaves. The leaves appear like most perennial plant leaves but when you touch them, you can feel the thin layer of water storage typical to succulent plants. The plants die back to the crown in winter then re-emerge after the last freeze of winter.

Like many succulents, the Sedums prefer morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered light. The exception is in coastal communities where temps. are more moderate. Inland the plants can get burned from too much sun. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ needs regular watering, much like other perennials in a flowering border, and thrive in well draining soil with organic matter, like compost, incorporated. Cut the flowers for vases or after they die off near the base of the plant.

This is a fun plant to have in your garden, in a pot or raised bed. Enjoy your Fall and the cooler temperatures.