Sedum SunSparkler® 'Firecracker'

Sedum SunSparkler® 'Firecracker': Burgundy Mat Built for Baking Edges

'Firecracker' has a short fuse and a long show. Burgundy-red leaves get darker as fall approaches, and hot pink flowers go off right on top. STAND BACK. THIS ONE SPARKS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Sedum hybrid (also listed as Hylotelephium)
• Common Name: Stonecrop
• Series: SunSparkler®, from breeder Chris Hansen
• Height: 15 cm (6 in)
• Spread: 45 cm (18 in)
• Flowers: Hot pink, star-shaped flowers in clusters
• Bloom Time: Late summer to early fall (August to September)
• Foliage: Small, round, succulent leaves in burgundy red that deepen in colour as fall approaches
• Plant Patent: USPP 26,595

Where to Plant: Plant it along the front of a sunny border, as an edging, in rock gardens or in a sunny container, and in groups it works as a small groundcover. It's ideal for the hot edges of a driveway or patio where the soil dries out fast.

Companion Plants: Agastache 'Blue Bayou' stands at 41 to 46 cm with blue spikes from July to September, a cool partner for the pink sedum flowers. Thymus 'Coccineus' makes a 2 to 5 cm magenta carpet in June and July along the very front. Behind, Bouteloua gracilis adds fine grassy texture at 30 to 60 cm, with its flags in July and August. All three like full sun and dry, well-drained ground.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun for the best colour. Give it well-drained soil, ideally sandy or gravelly. In clay, add grit or set it slightly higher than the surrounding soil, because winter wet does more damage than winter cold. Water regularly the first season, then only in long dry spells. No fertilizer needed. Cut back last year's dead stems in early spring. Divide in spring every few years if the centre gets sparse.

History: 'Firecracker' was bred by Christopher Hansen in Hudsonville, Michigan, from a 2009 cross between a low-growing and a taller hybrid, and was selected in September 2010. It received U.S. Plant Patent 26,595 in 2016 and is part of his SunSparkler® series.

Final Thoughts: Full sun, dry soil and zero fuss. Deer stay clear. LIGHT IT UP. NO MATCHES REQUIRED.