Sedum Autumn Fire, which is very similar to 'Autumn Joy', but was selected for its tighter growth habit, thicker foliage, and more brightly colored rosy flowers, was developed in Quebec.
Sedum Autumn Fire also called as Autumn Fire Stonecrop, Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Fire', Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Autumn Fire', is a cultivars of Hylotelephium spectabile. This plant, which is very similar to 'Autumn Joy', but was selected for its tighter growth habit, thicker foliage, and more brightly colored rosy flowers, was developed in Quebec.
IDENTIFY SEDUM AUTUMN FIRE
Sedum Autumn Fire is a dense herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth, which grows up to 2 feet tall and 18 inches wide. Its large succulent round leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season. It is considered an improvement on the older Autumn Joy, with a taller habit and stronger, less floppy stems.
Plants begin to produce green broccoli-like buds in mid-summer, which gradually open into enormous dusty-rose flower heads, finally deepening to rich rusty-red during autumn. Even the dead flower heads have good winter effect. An outstanding cut flower, and also attractive to butterflies. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Autumn Fire Stonecrop will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years.
SEDUM AUTUMN FIRE CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Sedum Autumn Fire thrives when it is grown under high-light conditions in the garden. They grow best in full sun with a long-day treatment by natural or extended photoperiods of 16 hours or by night interruption from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. with a minimum light intensity of 10 foot-candles. Planted in partial shade, they become leggy and tend to topple over. However, this can also be an indication that it is time to divide the plant.
Force in the summer or consider providing supplemental lighting from high pressure sodium lamps during the dark winter months to increase branching and overall plant quality.
When possible, shift plants to short days after flower buds are visible to reduce the time to flower and plant height.
Temperature:
Autumn Fire Stonecrop will grow in climates ranging from USDA zones 3 to 10 and is winter hardy to -40°F (-40°C). This plant tolerates a wide range of temperatures, thriving in extreme heat, and often continuing to display right up until the first frosts of winter. Plant height and general plant quality were largely unaffected by production temperatures.
Substrate and growing media:
is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.
It is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Watering:
Sedum Autumn Fire is very drought tolerant requiring no supplemental watering. Even in the heat of summer, light watering every two weeks or so is sufficient. More frequent watering may cause the roots to rot.
Fertilizer:
Feeding is not necessary. The plants will tolerate a light spring feeding with a balanced fertilizer, but excessive fertilizing will cause the plants to become leggy and sprawl in the garden. A constant feed of 100 ppm of a balanced fertilizer such as 20- 10-20 is adequate for good growth.
Pruning:
Cut it back halfway when the stems reach 8 inches tall; this will increase the number of blooms and prevent it from becoming leggy and floppy. Prune dead stems in late fall, or if you leave the plant intact over winter, prune out dead stems in early spring.
Propagation:
Sedum Autumn Fire is propagated by spring cuttings. In the garden, this can be accomplished by dividing the root mass in the fall or spring. A more interesting approach to propagation is to cut the fleshy stems in the fall and lay them horizontally in a sunny window. In a month or so, each leaf node will produce a shoot that can be removed and rooted.
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