Sedum telephium ‘Purple Emperor’ (Stonecrop)

Long-lived and drought tolerant, award-winner Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ is a lovely sight in the landscape with its masses of rosy-pink flowers, densely packed in large umbrella-shaped flower heads, and showing off atop bright reddish-purple stems clad with dark purple, fleshy leaves. Vigorous, hardy, carefree, good-looking, with a season of interest lasting more than 6 months from early summer until well into winter, who could resist?

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society 
• Easy to grow, this standout semi-upright perennial forms a clump of thick, fleshy dusky purple foliage, 18-24 in. tall (45-60 cm),  topped with flower buds resembling broccoli. Gradually, these densely clustered buds will reveal tiny, star-like pink flowers in mid-summer, which will softly change to mauve-pink, then chestnut-bronze in fall as they die.
• Both foliage and dead inflorescences will remain attractive through winter, providing some additional interest.
• Provides color and contrast to beds, borders, or rock gardens at a time when most plants have stopped blooming. Effective when planted en masse or in groups.
• Best grown in full sun, in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Thrives in low or moderately fertile, sandy or gravelly soils. Good drainage is important!
• Flowers are attractive to bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies and excellent as cut flowers. Rabbit and deer resistant!
• Drought once established, it is disease resistant!
• Low maintenance, this Sedum forgives neglect!

Members of the genus Hylotelephium, border sedums are essential beauties for the late-season garden and deserve a spot in gravel gardens. Undemanding, not aggressive, with fleshy, drought-resistant foliage and lovely domed flowerheads packed with a profusion of tiny starry flowers, opening to white, pink or red blossoms in late summer or early fall, they are a popular attraction to butterflies. They look particularly attractive with Asters, Solidago (Ornamental Golden rods), Boltonias, and Ornamental Grasses. Standing for months, their faded flowers and seed heads provide a colorful display in late fall and winter, even under snow caps. There are hundreds of Hylotelephium cultivars and hybrids to pick from. Which one will be yours?