Hylotelephium spectabile

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ice plant

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Other common names

brilliant stonecrop, butterfly stonecrop, rabbit's cabbage, showy stonecrop

Synonyms

Anacampseros spectabile, Sedum spectabile

RHS Recommended

Award of Garden Merit Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
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A herbaceous perennial to 45cm, with thick, upright stems producing shallowly scalloped, broadly elliptic, grey-green leaves. Starry pink flowers in flat terminal clusters to 15cm across, appear in late summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For the Environment

  • For Wet & Dry Conditions

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Crassulaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Hylotelephium are succulent perennials with heads of small star-shaped flowers in summer to autumn. They are sometimes included within the genus Sedum
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
E China, Korea

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. A drought-tolerant plant, attractive to wildlife. See hylotelephium cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring. Propagate by softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Rock garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back after flowering to maintain shape or leave seedheads overwinter

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungal and bacterial crown rot and roots rots