Best upright vs creeping [sedums](/plants/sedum-care/) for sun gardens

I grow 'Autumn Joy' sedum at my Long Island house -- the big upright type, now classified as *Hylotelephium* 'Herbstfreude' but still sold everywhere as 'Autumn Joy' sedum. Three clumps in the hottest, driest bed along the driveway. They've never been watered after the first season. They've never.

—- title: "Best upright vs creeping sedums for sun gardens" slug: best-sedum-cultivars hub: plants category: "Cultivar guide" description: "Upright and creeping sedum cultivars compared for sun gardens — Hylotelephium (tall sedums) and low creeping types for borders, slopes, and containers in zones 3–9." date: 2026-06-10 updated: 2026-06-10 author: "Thomas A." reading_time: 7 scientific: "Hylotelephium, Sedum" zones_min: 3 zones_max: 9 sun: "full sun" —-

I grow 'Autumn Joy' sedum at my Long Island house — the big upright type, now classified as Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' but still sold everywhere as 'Autumn Joy' sedum. Three clumps in the hottest, driest bed along the driveway. They've never been watered after the first season. They've never had a pest problem. They bloom from August through September when most of the rest of the garden is winding down, and the dried seed heads are interesting through the winter.

The taxonomy of sedums shifted in recent decades — many of the larger, upright garden sedums were reclassified from Sedum to Hylotelephium. For practical purposes, they're sold and managed the same way.

Upright sedums (Hylotelephium)

Per Missouri Botanical Garden, the tall upright sedums were reclassified to the genus Hylotelephium by the Royal Horticultural Society based on molecular analysis. Most garden centers still sell them as "sedum." The most important cultivars for garden use:

'Autumn Joy' ('Herbstfreude')

Zones: 3—9 Height: 18—24 in Flower color: Pink in August, deepening to rust-red in fall; seed heads persist through winter Notable trait: The standard upright sedum; sold in every garden center

Per Missouri Botanical Garden, 'Autumn Joy' is the most widely planted tall sedum in American gardens. Per Penn State Extension, it flowers in August when most perennials are declining and holds its seed heads attractively through winter, providing bird forage and winter interest simultaneously. I've grown it for eight years in zone 7a; it has never needed staking, division, or supplemental water after establishment.

Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, 'Autumn Joy' is one of the top five perennials for late-season monarch butterfly nectar. The flat flower heads are ideal landing platforms for large butterflies.

'Matrona'

Zones: 3—9 Height: 24—28 in Flower color: Pale pink flowers on purple-red stems Foliage: Blue-green with red margins

Per Missouri Botanical Garden, 'Matrona' has one of the most ornamental foliage displays of any tall sedum, with blue-green leaves edged in red developing as the season progresses. Stems are darker red-purple than 'Autumn Joy'. Slightly taller and may need a single stake in rich soil.

'Neon'

Zones: 3—9 Height: 18—20 in Flower color: Vivid rose-pink (more intense than 'Autumn Joy') Bloom time: August

Per Penn State Extension, 'Neon' is the most vivid pink tall sedum. The color is noticeably more intense than the dusty pink of 'Autumn Joy'. Same cultural requirements.

'Purple Emperor'

Zones: 3—9 Height: 18—24 in Flower color: Pink Foliage: Deep purple-burgundy throughout the season

Per NC State Extension, 'Purple Emperor' is valued primarily for its season-long purple foliage rather than its flowers. The contrast between purple foliage and pink flowers in August is attractive. Per NC State, it performs best in lean, well-drained soil — in rich moist soil, the purple color fades and the plants flop.

'Autumn Charm' (variegated)

Zones: 3—9 Height: 16—20 in Flower color: Pink Foliage: Green leaves with cream-white margins

Per Missouri Botanical Garden, 'Autumn Charm' is the most widely available variegated tall sedum. The cream margins are consistent through the season. Slightly less drought-tolerant than solid-leaved types.

'Mr. Goodbud'

Zones: 3—9 Height: 20—24 in Flower color: Lilac-pink Notable trait: Stronger stems than 'Autumn Joy'; less flopping in rich soil

Per Penn State Extension, 'Mr. Goodbud' was developed specifically to address the flopping problem common in tall sedums when grown in average garden soil. The stems are substantially sturdier than 'Autumn Joy' in conditions where 'Autumn Joy' becomes top-heavy.

When 'Autumn Joy' flops

Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, tall sedums flop (stems bend outward from the center of the clump) when grown in:

1. Soil with too much nitrogen
2. Too much shade (any shade reduces stem strength)
3. Too much moisture — they are desert plants by origin

The solution is not staking in most cases — it is moving them to poorer, drier soil. A clump that flops every year in a garden bed would be perfectly upright in a gravelly, nutrient-poor site.

Alternatively, cut back by one-half in late May (the "Chelsea chop") — named for the timing around the Chelsea Flower Show in the UK. Per Penn State Extension, this produces a shorter, bushier plant with delayed bloom (2—3 weeks later than unpinched) and much better stem strength. I don't do this with my clumps — I don't need to at the driveway edge — but I've seen it transform floppy border specimens.

Creeping sedums

Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'

Zones: 3—9 Height: 3—6 in Foliage color: Bright chartreuse-gold; orange in fall Bloom: Yellow, early summer

Per Missouri Botanical Garden, 'Angelina' is the most widely planted creeping sedum in American commerce. The bright chartreuse foliage is effective as a ground cover on slopes, between stepping stones, and in containers. It spreads by rooting stems but is not aggressive — easy to pull or cut back where it exceeds bounds. Per Clemson HGIC, 'Angelina' is one of the most heat-tolerant creeping sedums for the Southeast.

Sedum acre (Stonecrop)

Zones: 3—9 Height: 2—4 in Foliage color: Green, succulent Bloom: Yellow, spring

Per NC State Extension, S. acre is the most drought-tolerant and cold-hardy of the commonly grown creeping sedums. It is native to Europe and is naturalized in parts of North America. Can spread aggressively in ideal dry conditions. Best for dry slopes, rock gardens, and crevices.

Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood'

Zones: 3—9 Height: 2—4 in Foliage color: Green with red tinting; intensifies to red in heat and sun Bloom: Pink-red, early summer

Per Missouri Botanical Garden, 'Dragon's Blood' is one of the best creeping sedums for foliage color. The red intensifies with sun exposure and heat. Spreads moderately by creeping stems. Good for slopes and rock gardens. Tolerates more moisture than some sedums.

Sedum kamtschaticum 'Variegatum'

Zones: 4—9 Height: 4—6 in Foliage: Green with cream margins Bloom: Orange-yellow, midsummer

Per Penn State Extension, S. kamtschaticum types are more tolerant of partial shade than most creeping sedums — they accept 4 hours of sun where other types need 6+. 'Variegatum' is the variegated form with cream-margined leaves.

Common problems

Frequently asked questions

Do upright sedums need to be divided? Per Missouri Botanical Garden, divide every 3—4 years when the clump develops a hollow center (the typical pattern as older wood dies out). Divide in early spring. Clumps can be separated into individual stems or stem clusters. Transplant immediately at original depth.

Are sedums deer-resistant? Per Rutgers NJAES, upright sedums are rated "occasionally severely damaged" — a moderate resistance. At my Long Island house, deer browse sedum lightly but it grows back. The creeping sedums are rated "seldom severely damaged." Neither type is reliably safe in high-pressure deer areas without repellent.

Can sedums grow in part shade? Per NC State Extension, upright Hylotelephium types need full sun (6+ hours) for best stem strength and bloom. In partial shade, they produce weak stems and reduced flowers. Creeping S. kamtschaticum tolerates partial shade. Other creeping types need minimum 5—6 hours.

Sources

1. Missouri Botanical Garden — Hylotelephium
2. Penn State Extension — Sedums
3. NC State Extension — Hylotelephium
4. Cornell Cooperative Extension — Late-season Perennials
5. Clemson HGIC — Sedums