Sedum spectabile Tropical Night - Autumn Stonecrop

Sedum 'Tropical Night' is a new variety of autumn stonecrop that resembles the famous S. matrona, while offering a more vibrant flowering. It is a succulent and fleshy plant with sturdy stems that blooms in late summer, in the form of large, rounded, red-pink inflorescences where butterflies gather. The flowering period is long and is followed by the formation of decorative seeds that persist in winter. It is a truly rewarding plant. It is carefree and requires very little maintenance. It adds a lot of charm to the late season. It thrives even in dry and shallow soil.

The 'Tropical Night' autumn stonecrop belongs to the Crassulaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars derived from Sedum spectabile, a succulent plant with fleshy roots native to low-altitude mountains in China and Korea. It forms bushy and upright tufts, with a slightly spreading habit reaching 40cm (16in) in all directions. Its growth rate is quite slow. The flowering occurs sometimes as early as the end of August, most often in September, and ceases with the first frost. The inflorescences, in flat and dense terminal cymes, reach 10 to 12cm (4 to 5in) in diameter. They are carried by violet stems. The very small star-shaped flowers are born in intense coral red buds, then open in a pink-red hue before fading into a softer shade. They make up false umbels which are intensely nectar-rich and honey-bearing. The thick and fleshy deciduous foliage is glossy. It bears a tender green colour tinged with purple-violet, which makes a beautiful setting for the flowering. The leaves measure 8cm (3in) long. They are flat and ovate, with dentate margins on the upper half. The decorative seeds serve as food for birds in winter.

Sedum 'Tropical Night' is a boon for gardens with lean soil. It tolerates drought and rocky soils. It appreciates dry winters, even cold ones, while a lack of water in summer does not prevent it from flowering. Plant it with compact grasses (stipa, carex) and plants with grey foliage (wormwoods, senecio, stachys, lavender) that accept the same difficult living conditions. You can create a unique scene by planting it with asters, Verbena 'Buenos Aires', echinaceas, or fuchsias. Its sculptural appearance is magnificent in a pot. Its flowers are also excellent for drying or for fresh bouquets.