Sedum spectabile (Hylotelephium) 'NEON' ice plant

Sedum is a plant which we, when we were kids, called rabbit's cabbage. Its leaves look just like the vegetable that hardly any child likes to eat without moaning. However, when it came to flower in late summer it showed such beauty that we willingly forgot about cabbage and ripped off flowering stems for Mum so she could enjoy it, too, and we’d be good kids bringing her flowers.

Neon is a variety with probably the most spectacular colour of flowers. They are numerous, small, star-shaped, formed in almost flat terminal cymes and their colour is vivid pink. They attract butterflies as well as eyes of passers-by. The leaves are light green or almost bluish-green and look like iced, hence its common name – ice plant.

Sedum is an easy to grow, clump-forming perennial. It can take almost any soil but thrives in well-drained, slightly alkaline, sandy loam in full sun or part shade. When established it survives temporary flooding as well as drought. However, when planting make sure the soil does not manifest either extreme. Fully hardy to -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 30-09-2009