Sedum Sunsparkler Wildfire - Stonecrop

Sedum 'Wildfire' is a low-growing and compact stonecrop, with small round leaves, variegated with red with pink margins. In late summer, it bears reddish-pink flowers which are highly appreciated by pollinators. It forms a dense cushion. It is equally suitable for rock gardens as well as container cultivation, and prefers dry to moist, well-drained soil in the sun.

Sedums belong to the Crassulaceae family. This family includes many species of succulent plants, which are resistant to drought. There are many allies for the garden, with varied shapes and colours.

'Wildfire' belongs to the SunSparkler hybrid series, which are recent American creations with amazing foliage. This variety, derived from the no less exceptional Sedum 'Firecracker', stands out with its small, round and flat foliage, which is dark red, variegated with dark pink on the margin. A slight blue-green shade remains at the base of the leaves. This will bring vitality to a flower bed. Between August and October, 'Wildfire' produces short spikes of pink flowers, adding a lovely range of colours to the overall display. The flowers are popular with pollinators. The whole plant forms a compact, dense and round cushion, about 20cm (8in) high and 30cm (12in) in diameter. The clump does not hollow out, unlike other varieties.

Place Sedum 'Wildfire' in the sun, or in very light shade (otherwise its stems droop), in any well-drained, rocky soil, that is not too acidic, where it will make a good ground cover. It is also very easy to grow in a pot, taking care not to overwater it and selecting a substrate that does not retain too much moisture. In late autumn, the stems and leaves disappear completely, and you can cut off the dry parts in early spring.

In a rockery or dry border, you can plant it with Acaena inermis 'Purpurea' as ground cover, or with Heuchera 'Midnight Rose' for a range of pink-purple shades. It will also be a good companion for other rockery plants such as Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Kahori', Erigeron karvinskianus, Iris germanica 'Katy Petts', or even Eryngium 'Tiny Jackpot'.