Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy'

Sun

Full sun is best; tolerates light shade, but stems may lean or flop with too little sun.

Water

Water regularly during establishment, letting the soil dry between waterings. Established plants tolerate drought; water during prolonged dry spells, especially in containers.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil; tolerates relatively poor soil. Avoid waterlogged ground, especially in winter.

Height

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Spread

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Flowers

Late summer to autumn; pale pink buds open to pink flowers that deepen to coppery or rusty red, then dry brown.

Foliage

Fleshy, blue-green to grey-green leaves with toothed edges, carried on stout upright stems; dies back in winter.

Growth

Moderate; forms a substantial clump within a few growing seasons.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.2 ft (0.37 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant with the crown at soil level in a sunny, freely draining position.
• Water new plants deeply when the soil dries; avoid frequent light watering.
• Skip routine feeding in ordinary garden soil; rich feeding encourages weak, floppy stems.
• Keep wet organic mulch away from the crown; a thin gravel mulch suits damp climates.
• Divide congested clumps in spring if the centre weakens or flowering declines.

Pruning. Leave dried flower heads standing through winter, then cut old stems to ground level in late winter or early spring before new shoots lengthen. For shorter, sturdier growth, optionally shorten stems by about one-third in late spring; flowering may be slightly later.

Late winter

Cut down old stems if they were left for winter interest, taking care around emerging buds.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps once the ground is workable and no longer waterlogged.

Late spring

Optionally shorten stems by one-third to reduce flopping in vigorous plants.

Summer

Water establishing plants during dry weather and check young growth for aphids.

Late summer to autumn

Leave flowers available to bees and butterflies; avoid deadheading if you want winter seed heads.

Winter

Check that water drains away from crowns and containers rather than collecting around them.

• Repeat clumps through a sunny perennial border to provide a consistent shape and late-season colour.
• Combine with ornamental grasses for a contrast between flat flower heads and fine, moving foliage.
• Use in gravel gardens with lavender and catmint where drainage is sharp and watering is limited.
• Plant near a path or patio where the changing flower colours and visiting insects can be seen closely.
• Leave seed heads standing among grasses for winter structure.

Garden styles it suits: New perennial (prairie), Cottage garden, Pollinator garden, Low-maintenance, Dry gravel garden and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Lavender, Catmint, Russian sage, Purple coneflower, Feather reed grass and Little bluestem.

Wildlife: The late flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies and butterflies. Standing stems and flower heads add shelter and overwintering habitat for small invertebrates.

• Flopping stems: provide more sun, avoid fertiliser and excessive watering, and shorten stems in late spring if needed.
• Crown or root rot: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised position; remove badly rotted plants.
• Slugs and snails on emerging shoots: inspect in spring, remove hiding places and hand-pick pests.
• Aphids on tender stems: dislodge with water or use insecticidal soap according to the label, avoiding open flowers and visiting insects.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No part is recognised as a serious poisoning hazard, but it is an ornamental plant rather than a food crop; eating plant material may cause mild digestive upset in pets.

• Brilliant stonecrop (Hylotelephium spectabile 'Brilliant')

  Has similar fleshy green leaves and flat flower heads, but its flowers are a brighter pink rather than developing the characteristic coppery-red tones of 'Autumn Joy'.

• Matrona stonecrop (Hylotelephium 'Matrona')

  Usually taller, with conspicuous reddish-purple stems and purple-flushed leaves; flowers are pale pink.

'Herbstfreude' is German for 'autumn joy', referring to the plant's late-season display.

Propagation. Divide clumps in spring or take stem cuttings in late spring to early summer. Use these vegetative methods to retain the cultivar's characteristics; seedlings will not reliably come true.

Accepted botanical name

Hylotelephium

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.