For a rich blanket of color in those hot, sunny areas, try Sedum ‘Firecracker’ from breeder Chris Hansen who also brought us ‘Dazzleberry’ and ‘Lime Zinger’. This is Chris’ improvement over his previous red-foliage introduction, ‘Cherry Tart’.
You will be amazed by the foliage bud count on each dormant plug; it is a very dense growing, well-branched selection that won’t split open in summer. It puts on a strong show of burgundy red color all season long, with only the tiniest new leaves emerging mint green. Plant ‘Firecracker’ en masse in the landscape as a colorful, weed-suppressing ground cover and enjoy its vibrant pink flowers in late summer to early fall as an added bonus.
This colorful series of Sedum comes from the breeding work of Chris Hansen. After several years of hybridizing and evaluating in his West Michigan field trials, Chris has selected only the best, most unique cultivars for introduction in his SUNSPARKLER® series.
Chris selects for colorful groundcover types from a pool of over 4,000 seedlings. They all retain their attractive coloration from spring through fall and are free of the leaf scorch that can often plague Sedums. They can also be used in combination containers and green roof systems.
Height:
6.0 Inches
Spread:
18.0 Inches
Hardiness Zones:
4,5,6,7,8,9
Flower Color:
Pink shades
Foliage Color:
Purple shades Red shades
Sunlight:
Full Sun (> 6 hrs. Direct Sun)
Water Requirements:
Low Water Needs Average Water Needs
Soil Quality:
Poor Soil Quality Average Soil Quality
Soil Chemistry:
Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0) Neutral Soil (pH = 7.0) Alkaline Soil (pH > 7.0)
Bloomtime:
Late Summer Early Fall
Attracts Wings:
Attracts Butterflies Bee Friendly
Critter Resistant:
Rabbit Resistant
Seasonal Interest:
Fall Color
Growth Rate:
Medium
Garden Style:
Patio Container Eclectic Rock Garden
Other Features:
Border Plant Container Drought Tolerant Easy To Grow Edging Ground Cover Attractive Foliage Salt Tolerant Small
Origin:
Not Native to North America
Container:
Premium 1 Gallon Pot
When to Plant:
Summer to late summer
Finish:
10-12 weeks
Notes:
Bulk in summer for a full plant the following spring.
Container:
Premium 1 Gallon Pot
When to Plant:
Spring to late spring
Finish:
8-12 weeks
Growing Temperature:
70-75° F days
55-65° F nights.
Soil PH:
5.8-6.5
EC (What is EC?):
2.0-3.5 pour through method
Fertility:
Needs 100-200 ppm fertilizer for optimal growth.
For Controlled Release or Slow Release Fertilizer, see your preferred supplier for recommended rates for incorporation or top dressing, as it varies by fertilizer.
Vernalization:
Not required for flowering, however larger plants with better branching and form will occur with vernalization.
Pests & Diseases:
Aphids are the primary insect pest.
Mildew can be problematic and typically presents as scabbing on sedum, preventative fungicide applications are recommended. Sedum can also succumb to crown rots caused by Fusarium and Rhizoctonia, and to stem rot (Colletotrichum).
Potting & Timing:
Some root trimming may be necessary at planting time to fit into the container.
Warm and slightly dry conditions after transplanting speeds rooting and growth.
Moisture:
For potting soil use professional planting media.
Avoid overwatering, extended periods of wet soil will be detrimental and may result in rot.
Planting Level:
Place crown just at or below soil level, plugs with tops at soil level.
PGRs/Pinching:
For plugs, one soft pinch a week after planting helps to encourage branching. A second pinch is optional. Ethephon (Florel) at 500 ppm is also effective at increasing branching. A Daminozide (B-Nine) and chlormequat chloride (Cycocel) tank mix sprayed at 2,000+1000 ppm or Uniconazole (Sumagic/Concise) at 5 ppm will control growth, however, the best growth control method is to grow plants dry.
Configure at 300-600 ppm sprayed 1-2x can increase lateral branching.
Growth regulator rates are suggestions but may vary due to time of year, region and water quality. Trialing is always recommended before applying to an entire crop.
Lighting:
Requires high light in production. In a very high light environment, such as Southern California, plants may need up to 30% shade to protect against sun scorch.
Sedum requires long days to flower. Once pea-sized buds are present plants can be moved to a short day environment, which can actually help to speed flowering and reduce flnal plant height.
Height:
6.0 Inches
Spread:
18.0 Inches
Hardiness Zones:
4,5,6,7,8,9
Flower Color:
Pink shades
Foliage Color:
Purple shades Red shades
Sunlight:
Full Sun (> 6 hrs. Direct Sun)
Water Requirements:
Low Water Needs Average Water Needs
Soil Quality:
Poor Soil Quality Average Soil Quality
Soil Chemistry:
Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0) Neutral Soil (pH = 7.0) Alkaline Soil (pH > 7.0)
Bloomtime:
Late Summer Early Fall
Attracts Wings:
Attracts Butterflies Bee Friendly
Critter Resistant:
Rabbit Resistant
Seasonal Interest:
Fall Color
Growth Rate:
Medium
Garden Style:
Patio Container Eclectic Rock Garden
Other Features:
Border Plant Container Drought Tolerant Easy To Grow Edging Ground Cover Attractive Foliage Salt Tolerant Small
Origin:
Not Native to North America
Container:
Premium 1 Gallon Pot
When to Plant:
Summer to late summer
Finish:
10-12 weeks
Notes:
Bulk in summer for a full plant the following spring.
Container:
Premium 1 Gallon Pot
When to Plant:
Spring to late spring
Finish:
8-12 weeks
Growing Temperature:
70-75° F days
55-65° F nights.
Soil PH:
5.8-6.5
EC (What is EC?):
2.0-3.5 pour through method
Fertility:
Needs 100-200 ppm fertilizer for optimal growth.
For Controlled Release or Slow Release Fertilizer, see your preferred supplier for recommended rates for incorporation or top dressing, as it varies by fertilizer.
Vernalization:
Not required for flowering, however larger plants with better branching and form will occur with vernalization.
Pests & Diseases:
Aphids are the primary insect pest.
Mildew can be problematic and typically presents as scabbing on sedum, preventative fungicide applications are recommended. Sedum can also succumb to crown rots caused by Fusarium and Rhizoctonia, and to stem rot (Colletotrichum).
Potting & Timing:
Some root trimming may be necessary at planting time to fit into the container.
Warm and slightly dry conditions after transplanting speeds rooting and growth.
Moisture:
For potting soil use professional planting media.
Avoid overwatering, extended periods of wet soil will be detrimental and may result in rot.
Planting Level:
Place crown just at or below soil level, plugs with tops at soil level.
PGRs/Pinching:
For plugs, one soft pinch a week after planting helps to encourage branching. A second pinch is optional. Ethephon (Florel) at 500 ppm is also effective at increasing branching. A Daminozide (B-Nine) and chlormequat chloride (Cycocel) tank mix sprayed at 2,000+1000 ppm or Uniconazole (Sumagic/Concise) at 5 ppm will control growth, however, the best growth control method is to grow plants dry.
Configure at 300-600 ppm sprayed 1-2x can increase lateral branching.
Growth regulator rates are suggestions but may vary due to time of year, region and water quality. Trialing is always recommended before applying to an entire crop.
Lighting:
Requires high light in production. In a very high light environment, such as Southern California, plants may need up to 30% shade to protect against sun scorch.
Sedum requires long days to flower. Once pea-sized buds are present plants can be moved to a short day environment, which can actually help to speed flowering and reduce flnal plant height.
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