Succulents ~ Sedum sieboldi

Sedum sieboldii, native to Japan and Asia, is freely branching with glaucous bluish serrated leaves and stems. Margins blush purplish in strong light. Sprays of pink star-shaped flowers in October. Commonly called "October Plant". This plant comes from extremely cold areas and has developed a strategy for cold hardiness that involves deciduous dormancy. Do not be alarmed when your plant appears to be "dying" and all the leaves turn brown and all that remains is some dead stalks. This is normal; the rhizomes beneath the soil will still be alive. As soon as the plant can feel that all danger of extreme cold is past, new tiny shoots will appear under the dead leaves and rapidly grow to the become large plants once more. Porous soil with adequate drainage. Bright light to full sun. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. In spring and summer, it has blue-green leaves, with a dark red edge. In late summer and fall, the foliage is topped by starry pink blooms, which appear in large, flattish clusters. And in winter, the tricolored foliage turns a bold shade of lilac-pink! A low-growing, spreading Stonecrop, S. sieboldii sets upright stems studded with fleshy leaves held out horizontally. The red edging on each life stands out boldly from early spring right through the summer heat, adding some warm tones to the rather chilly blue-green of the leaves. Then in late season the foliage almost disappears beneath masses of pale pink bloom clusters. These flowers are irresistible to butterflies and bees, and can be cut for very long-lasting indoor arrangements (fresh or dried). They also look good left on the plant, where they slowly dry out in the autumn cool, adding nice texture to the plant. In winter the entire plant turns lilac-pink. It's easy to grow in well-drained soil and plenty of sunshine.