Stonecrop 'Purple Emperor'

Multi Buy

Size Guide
5.5
5.5" Perennial
3 or more $14.00 ea
Regularly: $14.99 ea

Stonecrop 'Purple Emperor'

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$14.99
Title

Introduce a dramatic, dark intensity to your garden beds with this award-winning, royal beauty. This striking plant forms a sturdy, perfectly upright mound of thick, fleshy succulent leaves in an incredibly rich, deep plum-purple that deepens to near-black in the summer sun. Rising proudly above this dark, brooding foliage canopy are large, flat-topped clusters of tightly packed, starry blossoms. The flowers open into a brilliant, contrasting shade of dusty rose-pink, creating a spectacular jewel-toned contrast against the dark leaves. It brings a bold, architectural presence and sophisticated, modern flair that instantly wakes up tired, sun-drenched landscapes.
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Plant Details

Mature Size:

14-18" H x 12-16" W

Zone:

3-9

Watering:

Low

Type:

Herbaceous Perennial

Growth Rate:

Moderate

Light:

Full Sun

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Purple Emperor Stonecrop, Dark-Leaved Stonecrop, Autumn Stonecrop, Upright Sedum

Scientific Name:

Hylotelephium 'Purple Emperor' (formerly Sedum 'Purple Emperor')

Type:

Thriller / Upright Succulent Perennial

Growth Details:

Mature Size: Height of 35–45 cm (14–18 inches) x Width of 30–40 cm (12–16 inches).

Growth Habit: Upright, clumping, and tightly mounded.

Form: Neat, sturdy, and vertical bushy mound.

Growth Rate: Medium; steadily grows into a full, robust, multi-stemmed specimen over the spring.

Flowering: Highly prolific with massive, flat compound clusters that cover the top of the plant.

Flowering Time: Late summer through mid-autumn.

Flower Colour: Soft dusty rose-pink to ruby-red.

Environmental Needs:

Exposure: Full sun (minimum of 6+ hours of direct sunlight daily).

Soil Preferences: Thrives in poor, sandy, gritty, or gravelly soils with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH (\(6.5 - 7.5\)).

Soil Tolerance: Excellent tolerance for low-nutrient, rocky, shallow, and drought-prone soils. Completely intolerant of heavy clay or waterlogged winter ground.

Watering: Low. Highly drought-resistant once established due to the moisture stored within its thick, rubbery succulent leaves.

Container Role: Acts as a spectacular, high-impact vertical Thriller in modern mixed patio containers.

Special Features:

Disease Resistances: Remarkably free of serious pests and diseases, including supreme resistance to powdery mildew.

Native Species: Derived from species native to the arid hillsides and meadows of Europe and Asia.

Fast Growing: Swiftly pushes up sturdy, dark purple shoots early each spring.

Attracts: A premier magnet for late-season butterflies, native bees, and migrating honeybees.

Uses: Structural cut flowers (fresh or dried), rockeries, late-season colour accents, and water-wise landscaping.

Resistance: Exceptionally resistant to drought, intense heat, poor soil, deer, and rabbits.
Care Guide

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

Bloom Information: Features large, flat landing-pad floral plates with high showiness. Flowers slowly shift to a handsome coppery-rust shade as they age in late autumn.

Fall Colour: The deep plum-black foliage remains intense through autumn, while the fading flower heads provide rich, textured form after frost.

Garden Value:

Ornamental Interest: Delivers high-impact color contrast through its dark plum foliage and structural, flat-topped, rosy-pink blooms.

Landscaping Uses: Perfect for rock gardens, gravel beds, sunny borders, cottage garden beds, mass foundation lines, and water-wise landscaping.

Garden/Landscape Benefits: Provides architectural structure to break up fine-textured plants, controls erosion on sunny slopes, and remains visually stunning through autumn and winter.

Wildlife & Human Value:

Wildlife Value: Highly valuable ecological lifeline, offering critical late-season nectar to pollinators and winter seeds to foraging songbirds.

Human Value: Perfect for busy or beginner homeowners looking for high-end design impact. It provides months of deep foliage color with practically zero watering or maintenance requirements.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

Best Time To Plant: Spring or early autumn when conditions are mild to allow the root system to settle without heat stress.

Spacing: Space 35–40 cm (12–16 inches) apart from center to center to allow for its upright, bushy expansion.

Location Tips: Plant in your hottest, driest, most sun-baked spots. Avoid low areas of the yard where rainwater tends to pool during heavy storms.

Companion Plants: Pairs beautifully with Pennisetum (Foxtail Grass), Echinacea (Coneflower), Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan), and lower-growing silver groundcovers like Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ear).

Care:

Light Requirements: Requires full sun to maintain its deep, near-black foliage coloration and tight, upright habit. In shade, the leaves will turn greenish and the stems will stretch.

Moisture Requirements: Low; demands sharply drained soil. Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings to prevent root issues.

Maintenance: Exceptionally low maintenance. Leave the dried flower heads intact through winter for structure and bird foraging, then cut the stems down to the ground in early spring.

Fertilization: Strictly avoid heavy feeding. A very light top-dressing of organic compost in early spring is optional; excess nutrients cause the stems to grow too fast, become weak, and flop over.

Tolerances:

High drought and heat tolerant, Poor, rocky, and shallow soil tolerant, Urban pollution and road salt tolerant, Deer and rabbit resistant

Tips For Success:

Thinning/Pinching: If you want a shorter, even bushier plant, you can pinch the growth tips back by half in late spring (late May or early June). This will delay blooming slightly but create an ultra-compact frame.

Support/Staking: Completely unnecessary if grown in lean soil and full sun; the thick, woody stems are engineered to stand perfectly straight without ever flopping.

Mulching: Avoid rich organic wood mulches that hold moisture around the base. Use pea gravel, grit, or leave the soil bare around the crown.

Winter Protection: No winter protection required. Leave the dead flower heads standing through the winter to catch the snow beautifully and provide food for local winter birds.
Fruit Profile