Golden Acre Home & Garden Centre's Plant Library

Other Names:  Autumn Stonecrop, Showy Stonecrop

Group/Class:  Rock 'N Grow® Collection

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

An exceptional perennial featuring very dark, near black foliage all season long and showy cream petaled flowers with red centers blooming later in the season; incredibly showy in a mass planting, prefers poor soils and dry conditions

Ornamental Features

Rock 'N Grow® Back in Black Stonecrop has masses of beautiful clusters of creamy white star-shaped flowers with cherry red eyes at the ends of the stems from late summer to early fall, which emerge from distinctive crimson flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive large succulent round leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning black in colour with showy dark gray variegation and tinges of coppery-bronze throughout the season. The deep purple stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Rock 'N Grow® Back in Black Stonecrop is a dense herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Rock 'N Grow® Back in Black Stonecrop is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Rock 'N Grow® Back in Black Stonecrop will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It 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. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Rock 'N Grow® Back in Black Stonecrop is a fine choice for the garden, but 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. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.