Sedum SUNSPARKLER® FIRECRACKER stonecrop, orpine

FIRECRACKER is another remarkable low‑growing stonecrop 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