Sedum spectabile Yellow Xenox - Autumn Stonecrop

Sedum spectabile 'Yellow Xenox' is a truly fabulous new variety of autumn stonecrop. It is a succulent perennial with fleshy roots, producing large flat inflorescences in a creamy yellow-pink colour above dense green-purple foliage. It flowers from late summer to autumn and until the first frost. It is a low-maintenance plant, suitable for dry soils, that adds a lot of charm to the late season.

Sedums belong to the Crassulaceae family. 'Yellow Xenox' is one of the many cultivars derived from Sedum spectabile, native to China and Korea. It forms compact, upright clumps, reaching 40cm (16in) in height and spreading up to 50cm (20in), with a relatively slow growth rate. The flowering occurs from September and stops with the first frost. The inflorescences, in flat and dense terminal cymes, reach 15cm (6in) in diameter. The tiny flowers emerge as pink buds and then open into creamy yellow and old pink. They form false umbels that are intensely nectar-rich and honey-bearing, attracting butterflies. The herbaceous stems emerge from the deciduous, fleshy, wavy, glaucous purple-green foliage, which is as attractive as the flowers. The leaves measure 8cm (3in) in length, and are flat and ovate, with dentate margins on the upper half.

A godsend for gardens with thin soil, Sedum spectabile is primarily a drought-tolerant plant. Pair it with grasses and grey-foliaged plants that often tolerate these challenging conditions. You can create an unforgettable scene by combining it with asters or fuchsias. This magnificent sedum has great potential for container gardening. It is also an excellent flower for drying or for bouquets.