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Sedum SUNSPARKLER® FIRECRACKER orpine
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Sedum
The genus Sedum is one of the largest genera in the family Crassulaceae, comprising more than 400 species native to a wide range of the Northern Hemisphere, from the Atlantic to the Far East and from arctic regions to subtropical mountains. The first scientific consolidation of the genus was made by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, where he described European species based on their succulent leaves and star-shaped flowers. In the 19th century the genus became a subject of intensive botanical interest: Joseph Nelson Rose (1862–1928) and Nathaniel Lord Britton (1859–1934) studied North American species, while Alwin Berger (1871–1931) highlighted the marked differences between ground-covering species and tall, stem-forming ones. In the 20th century the genus expanded further thanks to European and Asian botanists who described new taxa from the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Far East. Individual groups differ according to local climate: European species are mostly low, mat-forming, often evergreen and flowering in spring or summer; Central and East Asian species exhibit later growth and flowering; North American taxa include alpine species as well as prairie forms adapted to drought and intense sunlight; southern Europe and Asia Minor host species with extreme tolerance to summer heat, which limit growth during the hottest part of the year.
Tall, stem-forming species were historically placed within the same broad genus Sedum, but already in the 19th century Alwin Berger (1871–1931) noted that these species differ significantly from low, mat-forming stonecrops in both morphology and phenology. Chloroplast DNA analyses later showed that the tall group forms a separate evolutionary lineage, while the genus Sedum as a whole is polyphyletic. Based on these results, Hideaki Ohba (*1948) reinstated the original genus Hylotelephium in 1995, which had a valid historical name, and authoritative databases therefore prioritise the name Hylotelephium telephium.
Hylotelephium telephium is one of the longest-known and culturally most significant tall stonecrops of Eurasia. In northern Europe it was a common part of traditional gardens and open landscapes, and in folk medicine it was valued as a source of “living water” because its fleshy leaves were used as soothing poultices. Its horticultural importance stems from exceptional adaptability: it grows across a wide belt from the Atlantic to Siberia, tolerates poor soils, drought and frost, and its appeal is not limited to late summer flowering, as it often offers attractive foliage in several colours. When Asian species such as H. spectabile began to be cultivated in the 19th century, it became clear that H. telephium hybridises readily with them, producing plants with larger inflorescences, stronger structure and more vivid colours. These interspecific hybrids became the foundation of modern cultivars that dominate autumn perennial borders. They combine the robustness and cold tolerance of H. telephium with the showy flowers and late seasonal peak of H. spectabile.
FIRECRACKER is another remarkable low‑growing orpine from the SUNSPARKLER series bred by Chris Hansen in Michigan, USA. In late summer it produces dense clusters of small pink flowers that create a soft yet striking contrast to the dark foliage. The flower heads are firm and abundant, attracting bees and bumblebees, so in high summer they appear like a gentle pink shimmer above a maroon carpet. The leaves are fleshy, deep purple to chocolate burgundy, and in spring they emerge olive green with only reddish margins. Its habit is low, compact and wide‑spreading, with no tendency to flop even in rain, which is the main difference from the original species. The name ‘Firecracker’ refers to the sparkling effect of the dark leaves and pale pink flowers, which in midsummer truly resemble a small garden firework.
In the garden, the SUNSPARKLER® FIRECRACKER stonecrop works well as a low groundcover for sunny, dry sites, where it forms a dense carpet of colour with late summer flowering. It performs reliably in gravel borders and prairie plantings, where its dark foliage highlights lighter perennials such as catmint, yarrow, sage or ornamental grasses. It also combines well with other succulents, including sempervivums, delospermas or low thymes, which appreciate the same soil conditions. Next to plants with silvery foliage, such as wormwood, helichrysum or senecio, it acts as a strong contrasting element. In containers it keeps its shape and colour throughout summer and forms an attractive spill, making it suitable for terraces and balconies. Thanks to its late flowering it provides bees and bumblebees with a valuable source of nectar at the end of the season. The cultivar is protected by patents no. 43679 (EU, 2016) and PP26595 (USA, 2016).
American plant breeder Christopher M. Hansen is the kind of person who can ignite not just a spark but a whole firework of enthusiasm for plants even in people who previously thought that “succulents are just pebbles with leaves”. That’s why his friends and colleagues call him Sparky. His passion began at the age of five, when he collected his first houseleeks, and he hasn’t stopped since: he went through the Missouri Botanical Garden, Longwood Gardens, and Wayside Gardens, where he learned the craft in depth. Today he leads his own company and team at Garden Solutions and introduces series that carry exactly his kind of energy – SunSparkler® sedums, Chick Charms® sempervivums, Gnome Domes® orostachys, and even the Winter Thriller® hellebores, which were in fact his first major success. Sparky is a breeder who tests plants under extreme conditions, loves colour, contrast, and playfulness, and aims to bring joy back into gardens. His projects are not just about genetics – they are about helping people fall in love with plants as spontaneously as he once did, and that resonates with me deeply.
Last update 09-09-2026
Orpine requires full sun and a well-drained, rather lean soil. Heavy soils that remain wet for long periods reduce its vitality and the number of flowering stems, and they are a common cause of premature decline. Watering should be moderate, as the species is naturally adapted to dry spells and excess moisture leads to softening of the tissues, bending or even breaking of longer stems, and lower resistance to fungal diseases. Feeding is not necessary, or only very light in spring, so that growth does not become excessive at the expense of a firm structure. If powdery mildew appears on the leaves, it is important to act quickly with an appropriate treatment to prevent the foliage from being spoiled for the rest of the season.
In early spring, cut all old stems back to just above ground level, carefully, not to damage the basal crowns where the small, folded buds of future leaves are often visible from autumn onwards. The plant is long-lived and stable, but after several years the clump may lose its compact shape; at that point it is best divided and rejuvenated in spring. If a lower height is desired, the stems can be shortened from mid to late June: removing the upper third to a half of the shoots encourages branching and produces a lower, denser habit. This intervention delays flowering slightly, but the inflorescences are usually firmer, and the plant holds its shape better. Tall cultivars respond well to this mid-season pruning, while the species remains naturally restrained. Orpine grows well in containers, too, provided there is a drainage layer and no saucer underneath, so that all excess water can run off freely. Most cultivars are fully hardy to about -40 °C (USDA zone 3), and some tolerate even lower temperatures without requiring winter protection.
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- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
