Sedum Spectabile (Brilliant Group) 'Brilliant' (Ice Plant)

£7.99

Position: full sun or partial shade
Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil
Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
Flowering period: August to November
Flower colour: bright pinkish-mauve
Other features: attractive to butterflies and bees; the dried flower-heads provide colour and structure in the winter garden
Hardiness: fully hardy
Succulent, grey-green leaves, topped with large, flat heads of bright pinkish-mauve flowers in summer. This award-winning ice plant looks great planted in bold drifts towards the front of a sunny, well-drained border. A valuable late source of nectar for butterflies and bees, the flat flowerheads make attractive dried-flowers. Garden care: The flowerheads look great left during the winter to add shape and texture to your border. In February and March cut back the old flowerheads and apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant. Once established, sedums can have a tendency to flop leaving an open and unsightly centre, especially in fertile soil. One technique to help prevent this is the 'Chelsea chop'. During the last week of May (Chelsea Flower Show week), cut one in every three stems back to the ground. This will produce plants that are less lush and flower slightly later.

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