From pink to russet
Most red-looking stonecrops begin pale green, turn pink in late summer and then deepen to coppery red or rust as autumn arrives. The popular hybrid 'Herbstfreude', sold as 'Autumn Joy', follows this pattern. It is a cross between Hylotelephium telephium and the Chinese Hylotelephium spectabile.
Seasonal colour calendar
- Late summer (February): buds and pale pink flowers.
- Early autumn (March): rosy pink deepening to red.
- Mid autumn (April and May): rust and bronze.
- Winter: dry brown seed heads, left for texture.
Getting the best colour
Give plants full sun and poor to average soil. Rich soil makes them lush but floppy. Cutting stems back by half in early summer, often called the Chelsea chop, produces sturdier clumps.
Cooling climates and warm ones
In cool areas, such as Melbourne and Tasmania, the red deepens beautifully with the first chilly nights. In subtropical regions, colour can stay paler. Humid summers are the main threat, because they cause rot at the crown.
The leaves of many red-flowered stonecrops are blue-green or purple-tinged, so the plant looks good before the flowers colour. Planted in groups of three or five, they make a bold drift in a dry border, alongside ornamental grasses or tall verbena. In a sunny pot, one plant will fill the container within a season.
Red stonecrop and pets
A search of the ASPCA plant lists gave us no result for this one. Keep pets from chewing it, as the effect is unknown.
