• Photo of Hylotelephium spectabile (Hylotelephium spectabiles)

Plant Profile: Hylotelephium spectabile

Taxonomy: Hylotelephium spectabile

Names

Ice Plant, Showy Stonecrop, Stonecrop

  • Photo of Hylotelephium spectabile (Hylotelephium spectabiles)

Phonetic Spelling:hy-loh-te-LEH-fee-um speck-TAB-ih-lee

Genus:Hylotelephium

Species:spectabile

Family:Crassulaceae

Stonecrop is a hardy succulent perennial that thrives in well-drained or gravelly soil, ideally with average to low fertility. Although it flourishes in full sunlight, it also appreciates some shade during the morning or afternoon. This plant is highly drought-resistant and requires minimal care, making it an excellent choice for low-maintenance gardens. It can be easily propagated through stem cuttings.

The plant features fleshy leaves that grow in a mounding form, providing visual appeal even when not in bloom. For a bushier appearance, the stems can be pruned during the summer, though this may postpone flowering. The vibrant blooms typically emerge from mid-summer to fall, attracting bees and butterflies. Leaving the seed heads intact can enhance winter interest in the garden.

For further details on Hylotelephium, please refer to additional resources.

Hylotelephium spectabile Feature Summary

Hylotelephium spectabile Image Gallery

Tags

#deciduous
#fall color
#poisonous
#drought tolerant
#fall flowers
#perennial
#succulent
#pink flowers
#playground
#herb garden
#cpp
#children's garden
#rock gardens
#pollinator plant
#bird friendly
#butterfly friendly

Similar Plants

Hylotelephium spectabile is often confused with:

Hylotelephium spectabile Feature Summary

Attributes
Attracts butterflies
Stems and leaves, when very young and tender, may be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked. Flavor is bland.
Perennial
Attracts Pollinators
Textural
Attractive Flowers
Fruit
Seed heads can be left on for winter interest.
< 1 inch
Flowers
Flowers appear in flat-topped cymes 4-6 inches across that are packed with 1/2 inch star-shaped flowers. Flowers are in shades of pink and turn dark reddish-brown with age. Bloom time is late summer to fall.
Pink
Red/Burgundy
Brown/Copper
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
3-inch blue-green fleshy oval leaves have coarsely toothed margins. The opposite leaves can occur in whorls of 3.
Green
Blue
Opposite
Whorled
Elliptical
Ovate
1-3 inches
Smooth
Fleshy
1-3 inches
Stem
Unbranched fleshy stems
Poisonous to Humans
Unknown, but possibly gastrointestinal symptoms.
Alkaloids sedine, sedamine, and others.
Leaves
Stems
Flowers
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Poisonous
Houseplant
Ground Cover
Succulent
Clumping
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Pollinator Garden
Children's Garden
Drought
Rabbits
Salt
Recreational Play Area
Naturalized Area
Houseplants
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Poisonous to Humans

Hylotelephium spectabile Attributes

Hylotelephium spectabile: Country Or Region Of Origin

China and Korea

Hylotelephium spectabile: Wildlife Value

Attracts butterflies

Hylotelephium spectabile: Edibility

Stems and leaves, when very young and tender, may be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked. Flavor is bland.

Hylotelephium spectabile: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Hylotelephium spectabile: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Hylotelephium spectabile: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Hylotelephium spectabile Fruit

Hylotelephium spectabile: Fruit Description

Seed heads can be left on for winter interest.

Hylotelephium spectabile: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Hylotelephium spectabile: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Hylotelephium spectabile: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Hylotelephium spectabile: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Hylotelephium spectabile Flowers

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Description

Flowers appear in flat-topped cymes 4-6 inches across that are packed with 1/2 inch star-shaped flowers. Flowers are in shades of pink and turn dark reddish-brown with age. Bloom time is late summer to fall.

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Brown/Copper
filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Hylotelephium spectabile: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Hylotelephium spectabile Leaves

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Description

3-inch blue-green fleshy oval leaves have coarsely toothed margins. The opposite leaves can occur in whorls of 3.

Hylotelephium spectabile: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Hylotelephium spectabile: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Hylotelephium spectabile: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Hylotelephium spectabile Stem

Hylotelephium spectabile: Stem Description

Unbranched fleshy stems

Hylotelephium spectabile: Stem Color

grass
Green

Hylotelephium spectabile: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Hylotelephium spectabile Poisonous to Humans

Hylotelephium spectabile: Poison Symptoms

Unknown, but possibly gastrointestinal symptoms.

Hylotelephium spectabile: Poison Toxic Principle

Alkaloids sedine, sedamine, and others.

Hylotelephium spectabile: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Hylotelephium spectabile: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Hylotelephium spectabile: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Hylotelephium spectabile Whole Plant Traits

Hylotelephium spectabile: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Hylotelephium spectabile: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Hylotelephium spectabile: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Hylotelephium spectabile: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Hylotelephium spectabile: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Hylotelephium spectabile: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Hylotelephium spectabile Cultural Conditions

Hylotelephium spectabile: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Hylotelephium spectabile: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Hylotelephium spectabile: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Hylotelephium spectabile: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Hylotelephium spectabile: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Hylotelephium spectabile: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Hylotelephium spectabile: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Hylotelephium spectabile Landscape

Hylotelephium spectabile: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Hylotelephium spectabile: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Hylotelephium spectabile: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Hylotelephium spectabile: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Hylotelephium spectabile: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy