Re: Sedum confusion

Lisa,

I grow Sedum spectabile, which does have a lavender-pink flower and grows,
in my garden, in quite a bit of shade.  I've had three plants along a walk,
crowded by Pachysandra at their backs and overshadowed by a pretty large
Azalea, backed by a dogwood (C. florida) for, oh, probably close to 15
years.  Poor things don't have a chance to increase in diameter, but they
hang in there and bloom for me every  year and throw a few seeds into the
paving cracks on the walk.

I also grow it in a large raised planter, in the back corner which is under
a roof overhang.  Gets some morning sun, but is in shade for the rest of
the day and has made a large clump.  Also have it in various other spots
where it gets a bit more direct sun for a few hours a day, but is in light
or dappled shade for most of the day.

I understand the cultivar 'Meteor' has a more vivid pink flower, but don't
think it would be what I call 'red'.  Not having actually seen this
cultivar, but guessing, based on the amount of blue in the pink of the
species, it is probably a deeper pink on the blue side of red instead of
the orange side - if that makes any sense.

S. spectabile is much more tolerant of shade than S. 'Autumn Joy',
although, A.J. will grow in partial shade pretty well and flower.  I find
it tends to open up flop a bit more than it would in full sun, I think. 
Solution is to divide it or dig it up every other year or so - this seems
to keep it more compact.

S. 'Autumn Joy' starts out pink and dies to a brick red and then
brown...fairly intense in the brick red stage, but, again, not what I'd
call "red", as in a red rose or a red poppy...more an earth toned red.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Lisa Roth <rothcrew@compsol.net>
> Date: Monday, July 27, 1998 7:55 AM
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'll bet everyone was out enjoying the beautiful weather
> this weekend; there were so few messages!!
> 
> As I mentioned earlier, I bought a Sedum spectabile 'Meteor'
> (liveforever) and the tag says it's a rose pink.  TimeLife
> says it's a deep carmine red.  I have been unable to locate
> any pictures, and now I'm more confused than ever.  I've
> been going from Sedum site to Sedum site, and some say sun
> and some say shade.
> 
> If anyone knows anything about this plant, please let me
> know, as I'd like to get it into the ground soon.  Of
> course, I could always just leave it in it's pot (my last
> post asked if I could move it, but since then I've found
> information that indicates that it shouldn't be moved).
> 
> Thanks!
> Lisa (who is begining to think she should have just bought
> 'Autumn Joy' and be done with it!)
> 
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