Sedum telephium Back in Black - Autumn Stonecrop

The Sedum 'Back in Black' is an autumn Stonecrop from the Rock 'N Grow® series. This cultivar develops very dark foliage throughout the season, with robust and sturdy leaves and stems of an almost blackish purple that form a backdrop in late summer for its massive flowers. They develop in summer and bloom in autumn, with cream-white petals around a deep red centre. It is a hardy and low-maintenance plant, suited to dry soil, requiring very little care and adding a lot of charm to the late season.

The Autumn Stonecrop 'Back in Black' belongs to the Crassulaceae family. It is one of the cultivars derived from Sedum telephium, now renamed Hylotelephium telephium, originating from the Caucasus and China. It forms well-rounded, upright clumps, with a slightly spreading habit reaching 60 cm in height and spreading 65 to 75 cm. In late summer, the inflorescences, in dense, bulging terminal cymes, exceed 15 cm in diameter. The tiny star-shaped flowers emerge as red buds, then bloom deep red with cream edges. They form intensely nectariferous and melliferous false umbels. The deciduous, thick and fleshy foliage is almost blackish purple, glossy, creating a beautiful contrast with the flowering. Each flat, ovate leaf is serrated with large rounded teeth on the upper half. The long flowering period, highly visited by butterflies, is followed by the formation of decorative seeds that persist into winter.

A boon for gardens, even where the soil lacks depth, the Sedum 'Back in Black' is primarily a drought-tolerant plant. Pair it with grasses and grey-leaved plants that, like it, tolerate these harsh living conditions (Stipa tenuifolia, Tanacetum densum subsp. amanii...). Its upright stature and large clump allow it to replace small bushes in borders. You will create an original scene by combining it with asters cordifolius Little Carlow or colourful-leaved heucheras. Stunning with its graphic design in a container, it is also an excellent flower for drying or for bouquets.