Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is a classic upright stonecrop valued for its strong structural form and long lasting blooms. The succulent green foliage supports broad domed flower heads that open pink and mature to copper red, persisting into winter for visual interest.
Height & Spread: 18 - 24 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained, sandy or gravelly soil
Watering Needs: Low; drought tolerant once established
Deer Resistance: Typically avoided by deer due to tough, bitter foliage
Native Status
This plant is not native to North America. It is a hybrid cultivar with parentage from Eurasian species of Sedum.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Supports fall flying butterflies such as Painted Ladies and Red Admirals with late season nectar.
Bees
- Highly attractive to native bees and honeybees during its peak bloom.
Hummingbirds
- May attract hummingbirds occasionally, especially in mixed plantings with tubular blooms nearby.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 18 - 24 in apart to accommodate mature width and airflow.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for borders, dry meadows, pollinator gardens, and container displays. Best used in mass plantings or with ornamental grasses.
Companion Plants
- Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) - Provides vertical form and autumn color that harmonizes with Sedum’s maturing blooms.
- Rudbeckia triloba (Brown Eyed Susan) - Offers yellow daisy flowers that overlap bloom time with ‘Autumn Joy.’
- Aster oblongifolius (Aromatic Aster) - Brings late season blue purple contrast and extends pollinator support.
- Lavandula x intermedia (Lavender) - Shares drought tolerance and soft foliage texture with Sedum.
- Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) - Combines with Sedum for long blooming, pollinator friendly borders.