I love most sedums. Among trouble-free plants, sedums must top the list. Autumn Joy tops my list of sedums because it tolerates any soil, has low moisture requirements, combines beautifully with a multitude of other plants, is extremely hardy, is easily propagated, stands up straight in full sun unless overwatered and has a new character for every season, including winter.The last point is the most significant because, while most perennials look great when they are blooming, and many provide excellent foliage interest much of the growing season, Autumn Joy looks great even in the winter landscape. Turning a pretty brick red in later fall, Autumn Joy stands out spectacularily againt snow in winter.
In spring, Autumn Joy emerges from tightly furled buds into a seafoam green plant, setting buds in early summer. The buds turn pale pink which brightens through the summer. In late August the buds open to glowing magenta flowers. Then the whole plant--flowers, leaves and stems-- turn the magnificent brick red that pursists through winter.In very early spring the plant's stems are hollow and can be pulled out just before the soil warms enough for the plant to reemerge into a new season.
The new "improved" Autumn Joy cultivars, with names like Autumn Brilliance, look like Autumn Joy on steroids. If you like that Amazing Hulk quality, maybe you'll like the improved upright sedums. I question why such a fine plant needs improvement. I'm all for improving the resistance to rust of phlox, or to apple scab of crabapple trees. Improvement that merely puffs up an already excellent plant seems to me unnecessary, at best a marketing ploy. How about Japanese Beetle-resistant roses?
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