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Herbaceous Perennial

Hylotelephium telephium subsp. maximum 'Gooseberry Fool'

orpine 'Gooseberry Fool'

A clump-forming perennial to 60cm tall with grey-green leaves flushed red along the midribs. Flowerheads up to 20cm across comprising greenish to creamy-white flowers are borne from summer into autumn on purplish-red stems

Synonyms

Sedum telephium subsp. maximum 'Gooseberry Fool'
Sedum 'Gooseberry Fool'

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

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)

Botanical details

Family: Crassulaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: May cause mild stomach upset if eaten, contact with sap may irritate skin. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
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: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. See hylotelephium cultivation for further advice

Propagation

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

Suggested planting locations and garden types

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

Pruning

For bushy, compact plants, cut back the new stems by half in late May, this method is called the Chelsea Chop. Or cut back after flowering, and during border tidy ups in late winter before new growth emerges; seedheads can be left to overwinter

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and vine weevil

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungal and bacterial crown and root rot on wet soils, or powdery mildews on very dry soils

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