Sedum 'Lajos'

AUTUMN CHARM SEDUM
syn. Hylotelephium
Family: Crassulaceae
Pronounced: SAY-dum

 

Quick Jumps

Growing Guide
Rainy Side Notes

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GROWING GUIDE

Origin:
Garden.
Plant Group:
Perennials.
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: 1-10, 14-24.
USDA zones: 3-8.
Heat zones: 10-1.
Mature size:
Height 18 inches (45 cm).
Width: 24 inches (60 cm).
Flowering period:
July through fall.
Flowering attributes:
The tiny flowers packed into the corymbs begin as creamy white buds that open a dusty pink and slowly age to a russet red.
Leaf attributes:
Succulent, variegated, green leaves with creamy white edges.
Growth habit:
Upright.
Light:
Full sun to partial shade.
Soil:
Light, well-drained soil.
Feeding:
S. 'Autumn Charm' is not a heavy feeder, but I give it a complete organic fertilizer in spring and side dress with compost or manure.
Propagation Methods:
Stem cuttings.
Division.
My favorite: In early spring pull a rosette off the main plant and transplant the small rosette to a new area in the garden.
Pruning Methods:
No pruning is necessary except to clean up dead stems in late fall. If you leave the plant intact over winter, prune out dead stems in early spring before new growth begins. If you accidentally pull up a rosette while pruning, see propagation method above.

 

Rainy Side Notes

A sport of Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, this charmer is more compact than its predecessor. In its second year in my garden (as of this writing), it remains stable; in that no reverting to green has been found. However, it’s sending up some creamy white sports of its own. Sans any chlorophyll, I doubt those sports will be vigorous enough to grow on their own, but it’s always worth an experiment.

The tiny flowers packed into the corymbs begin as creamy white buds that open a dusty pink and slowly age to a russet red. It is an easy plant to grow; the blossoms and foliage add a lot of color and interest to the late summer and fall garden.

The nomenclature is still a mess on the tall sedums—they've been placed in the Hylotelephium genus, but I haven't seen the industry following suit on the name change yet, so I keep them listed as everyone knows them under the genus Sedum.

This perennial is often sold under its trademarked name—Autumn Charm. It’s a shame they didn’t give that to its proper name—Sedum ‘Lajos’.

Debbie Teashon
Photographed in author's garden.

More Sedums.