Sedum SunSparkler series
* Common name: Sedum SunSparkler series
‘Dazzleberry’ blooms at left. ‘Firecracker’ shows off its burgundy foliage at right.
(Credit: www.greatgardenplants.com)
* Botanical name: Sedum SunSparkler hybrids
* What it is: This is a five-plant series of low-growing, mound-forming, winter-hardy succulents that have both colorful foliage and pink to raspberry flowers in late summer. They’re all drought-tough, resistant to deer and other pests, and attractive to bees and butterflies.
Two of the best are ‘Dazzleberry’ (smoky blue-purple leaves, raspberry flowers) and ‘Firecracker’ (burgundy foliage, light pink flowers). Other three are ‘Lime Twister’ (bicolor lime-green foliage, light pink flowers), Sedoro ‘Blue Elf’ (blue foliage, deep pink flowers), and ‘Jade Tuffet’ (narrow green foliage, medium pink flowers).
* Size: ‘Blue Elf’ is about 4 inches tall, ‘Jade Tuffet’ is 10 to 12 inches tall, and the rest are in the 6- to 8-inch range. Space 18 inches apart.
* Where to use: Excellent low groundcover or edging plant for any hot, dry, sunny and even salty or rocky areas, such as along walks and driveways. An ideal rock-garden plant. Also useful on green roofs. Does best in full sun and well drained soil.
* Care: Water the first season to establish the roots, then it’ll be one of your garden’s least water-needy plants. Fertilizer usually not needed, but an early-spring scattering of a balanced, granular fertilizer is optional. Creeps but not aggressively. Shovel out and transplant or give away sections growing beyond where you want.
* Great partner: Pair with other sun-loving perennials, such as salvia, Russian sage, purple coneflowers, lavender, catmint and most any ornamental grass. Pink spirea, dwarf butterfly bushes and caryopteris (blue mist shrub) are good flowering-shrub partners. Pairs well with most conifers, too.