When planting a garden that you want to flourish for the longest time, without much intervention, it's worth paying attention to plants that can hold their own across the seasons and well into winter.

Thankfully, there are numerous plants that can provide seasonal interest, but one that stands out is , aka Stonecrop. Aside from its attractive flowers and foliage throughout spring and summer, 's drought-tolerance and hardy nature when the temperature drops, makes it a wonderful choice for winter garden ideas.

From creeping varieties for rock gardens, like this Angelina Sedum Rupestre from Burpee to tall upright perennials for beds and borders, discover why professional gardeners love for (almost) year-round interest.

'Few plants are as familiar in the autumn garden as the tall perennial sedums, particularly the old standby ‘Autumn Joy’, says Matt Mattus, Senior Director of Horticulture, American Horticultural Society.

'Technically, however, calling them sedums is no longer quite botanically correct. itself is a large and remarkably diverse genus of succulent plants, ranging from tiny, ground-hugging species suited to rock gardens and walls to spreading groundcovers and tender types grown as houseplants.

'Many of the familiar taller, clump-forming perennial species once included in have been separated by botanists into the genus . Thus, the plant generations of gardeners have known as Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ may now appear on a plant label as ‘Autumn Joy’ or ‘Herbstfreude’.'

Don't worry too much about committing to memory. Matt tells us most gardeners, garden writers and even nurseries still refer to these plants simply as sedums, or more helpfully, tall perennial sedums.

'Knowing a cultivar name such as ‘Autumn Joy’ is probably still the easiest way to get what you want at the garden center.'

This Autumn Joy Stonecrop from Plant Addicts is best placed at the front of planting beds so that the structure of the plant can be enjoyed for longer.

Why Sedum is Such a Valuable Late-Season Plant

Tall perennial sedums, particularly the aptly named 'Autumn Joy' are reliable plants across the seasons. However, their real performance begins in late summer and autumn, when many other perennials are starting to tire. Even once the flowers have faded, these plants retain their structure in winter, providing interest and food for wildlife.

'Part of the appeal of these taller sedums is that they contribute something to the garden for an unusually long time,' says Matt. 'Fresh shoots emerge in spring and quickly develop into neat mounds of fleshy foliage.

'By summer they form substantial, almost shrub-like clumps that ask very little of the gardener, and the developing flower heads can be attractive long before the first flowers actually open.'

'By late summer and autumn, the broad flower heads become magnets for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects, and they pair particularly well with ornamental grasses, asters, salvias and other late-season perennials,' says Matt.

'Even after flowering, the faded heads can remain handsome well into winter, particularly after frost or a light snowfall. Few perennials manage to look good for so many months while requiring so little attention.'

This Frosted Fire Stonecrop Sedum from Plant Addicts grows to a height of around 12-15" and a spread of 15-18".

Unsurprisingly, these vast and varied succulents are sun-lovers. Whether you're growing spreading species or groundcovers in rock gardens, like this Rock 'N Low Stonecrop Sedum from Plant Addicts – which has starry yellow flowers that bloom when much of the garden is winding down – or tall perennial varieties of Sedum in flower beds, borders or containers, ensure they have reliably regular rays.

'The majority of sedums/stonecrop thrive in full sun,' says landscape gardener, Kat Aul Cervoni, founder, Staghorn Living. 'Ideally, a minimum of six hours, although more is even better.

'In addition, these plants demand good drainage. Their common name, stonecrop, hints at this, since they often pop up and thrive in stone walls and amidst rocky outcrops with lean, gravely soil.'

Kat likes placing tall perennial Sedums near the front of the border – or set back slightly if they’ve got some height.

'In my own garden, I also adore using mixes of sedums in planters peppered around the sunniest areas, with good free-draining soil,' she says. 'These require zero watering and still look excellent. Plus the bees just love them.

'I also love pairing them with other sun and lean-soil-loving perennials and grasses like Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed and Eryngium.'

This Little Bluestem from Trees.com changes from green and white in spring through to pink and purple in the fall, which works beautifully with the tones of Autumn Joy.

Whichever type of Sedum you're growing – if these plants have what they need in the way of sunshine and soil – they will require little to no attention. Like most succulents, Sedums store moisture in their leaves and stems and are remarkably drought tolerant once established.

'Tall sedums are among those rare garden plants that often perform better when we do less for them,' says Matt. 'Give them plenty of sun and well-drained soil, and they are generally quite content.

'Rich soil, excessive fertilizer and too much irrigation can actually work against them, encouraging lush, soft growth that is more likely to flop just as the heavy flower heads develop.'

Through summer, watering is generally necessary only during prolonged dry spells, particularly once plants are established. 'Fertilizer is also rarely needed,' says Matt. 'In fact, resisting the urge to feed sedums may be one of the best things you can do.

'Plants grown in containers will naturally require more attention, since pots dry out much faster than garden soil, but even here good drainage is essential. These are not plants that appreciate sitting in constantly wet compost.'

Matt explains that too much shade, water or fertility is often the culprit if you have ever grown a tall sedum that opens up in the middle or sprawls across its neighbors.

'A leaner, sunnier position often produces shorter, sturdier stems and a better-looking plant,' he says. 'Sandy, gravelly and relatively poor soils can suit them beautifully, provided drainage is good.'

This Rock N Grow Back in Black Sedum from Plant Addicts has deep burgundy foliage with cream and red flowers and likes to be left alone.

'Sedums require almost no maintenance for us folks in zone 6-7,' adds Kat. 'This is truly as close as we get to cactus gardening in the northeast.'

'My protocol is to cut them back in early spring after basal growth has started to grow - so no fertilizing. Overnutrition can lead to floppy growth and even disease or insect attack since it will technically weaken this type of plant

'Aside from that, they do benefit from being divided to stimulate fresh growth and prevent a “hole” in the center as can happen with some perennials as they begin maturing and spreading outward.'

'Fortunately, sedums are forgiving plants and usually transplant and divide without much drama,' adds Matt.

Why Resist Cutting Sedum Back Too Early?

Aside from their spectacular fall color, tall perennial Sedums like 'Autumn Joy' are loved for the fact they can withstand a light frost. Even once the chilly weather has hit and flowering has finished, the plant has attractive seed heads that offer winter interest and food for songbirds.

'For gardeners who prefer a very tidy autumn cleanup, cutting the plants back after flowering won't harm them,' says Matt. 'But I prefer to leave mine standing. The dried flower heads add useful structure to the winter garden, especially when outlined with frost or capped with snow, and standing perennial stems can also provide overwintering habitat for insects.'

Eventually winter weather can take its toll, and if you have heavy snow, it may flatten the stems. 'By late winter tall Sedums can begin to look decidedly less architectural and more like garden debris,' says Matt.

'That is the time to cut them down, ideally before or just as the fresh green shoots begin emerging from the crown in early spring.

'There is no need to mulch the crowns heavily for winter in climates where the plants are hardy. In fact, keeping the crown reasonably dry is more important than keeping it warm. Wet winter soil is generally a greater threat to sedums than cold weather.'

For plants that offer so much beauty, even into the chilly months, without asking much in return takes the prize.

'Low maintenance is a phrase used rather freely in gardening, but tall perennial sedums genuinely deserve it,' says Matt.

'They tolerate drought, rarely need staking when grown well, attract pollinators and provide interest from the first shoots of spring through the final frosts of autumn—and often well into winter.

'And while ‘Autumn Joy’ may be the plant that made this entire group famous, it's no longer the only choice. With so many new foliage colors, flower colors and plant sizes now available, it's worth looking beyond the old standby.

'Just remember that whether the label says or , these are essentially the same dependable plants gardeners have relied upon for generations.'

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