Hylotelephium anacampseros

Succulent perennial of the Crassulaceae family, formerly known as Sedum anacampseros, this species is native to the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, from the Alps to the Carpathians and the Apennines. It occupies rocky lawns, stabilized scree, and cracks in calcareous or siliceous rocks, between approximately 1,000 and 2,500 meters in altitude.

The plant forms loose clumps of semi-recumbent to ascending stems, 15 to 30 cm in height, with a slightly bushy appearance. The leaves are thick, fleshy, rounded to oval, glaucous to yellow-green, arranged in a dense spiral along the stems — a compact and architectural foliage that deserves attention even when not in bloom.

The flowers are grouped in dense and globular corymbs, from pink-purple to pink-lilac, crowning each stem at the end of the season. The darker buds mix plum and violet tones that contrast nicely with the pale green of the leaves. The inflorescences are a highly appreciated rendezvous for bumblebees and bees, as frequently observed in the field.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from July to September. In cultivation, it generally blooms from August to September.

Perfectly adapted to sunny rock gardens, it tolerates summer drought and primarily requires well-drained soil. Hardy and undemanding, it is suitable for walls as well as containers and rock gardens at altitude.