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Sedum telephium 'Red Cauli'

 
Sedum telephium 'Red Cauli'
stonecrop

Common name stonecrop
Family crassulaceae
Life cycle perennial (Z3-8)
Flowers red (July-Oct)
Size 12"
Light sun

When I saw this plant in an article on garden designer's Piet Oudolf's garden, I was hooked. It was more difficult than I thought to find a source, but I did, and received a small bareroot plant in spring of 2008. In its first year, it gave a preview of its dark burgundy stems and bright reddish-pink flowers – not quite as spectacular as in the magazine photos. The following year, I realized that the once sunny border in which I had planted it was in fact partly shaded now – so I moved the plant to a more reliably bright position in our rock garden annex, in hopes of the stunning performance I'd come to expect. In subsequent years, I still wasn't all that impressed, but kept hoping it would hit its stride. And perhaps now it has. I'm pleased with the way it combines, in a messy kind of way, with the liatris, alliums and other naturalistic denizens of that rockery. Perhaps it will get even better in years to come.

Sedum telephium 'Red Cauli'
Similar view as top photo, taken a few weeks earlier
stonecrop
I love the contrast with the soft blue-green foliage of Artemisia 'Powis Castle'

We left this plant behind in our Pennsylvania garden (and wish it well); we don't grow it in Houston.

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