Matrona Stonecrop is a drought-tolerant cultivar with a reputation for vigorous growth and hardiness. They are easy to grow as a patio plant in a container. Use a coarse, well-drained soil, preferably a cactus mix. 'Matrona' also does well outdoors in full sun or part shade and well-drained soil. The plant tolerates rocky and poor soils, establishes itself quickly, and is heat tolerant once established. The succulent leaves make it drought and dry-soil tolerant. Its blossoms and foliage provide interest from early summer into winter with a mass of pink flowers on top of ruby-colored stems and purple leaves that turn bronze in the winter. It is easy to grow and low maintenance. It can be grown as a conservatory plant, ground cover, or in containers. This cultivar attracts butterflies and also tolerates deer and rabbits. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Slugs and snails. Avoid wet or poorly drained conditions. Taller sedum species with large flower heads are susceptible to flopping. Site in full sun and pinch back in spring to force thicker stems. More information on Hylotelephium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheSedumSedum 'Birthday Party'Sedum 'Touchdown Teak'
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Very Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous
Leaf color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Fleshy grey-green leaves with purple veins and tinged leaves. Leaves and flowers remain of interest through winter.
Fall color
Brown/Copper
Flower color
Pink
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Masses of pale pink flowers in densely packed, 5 inch umbrella-shaped, flower heads (resembling broccoli). Dense heads contain small, star-like pink flowers that change to bronze in winter.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Fruit follicular, membranous or leathery, often surrounded by a persistent membranous corolla, opening on the adaxial side, Seeds mostly minute, usually with fleshy endosperm.
Stem color
Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Shiny dark burgundy stems that hold blossoms 18 to 24 inches high.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
East Asia
Distribution
Europe, Turkey, Northern Africa, North America
Attracts
Butterflies; Hummingbirds; Pollinators; Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Easy to Grow
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers; Stems
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
Stems and leaves, when very young and tender, can be eaten raw. Later, until they flower, they may be briefly cooked. Ingesting leaves in quantity can lead to stomach upset.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Recreational Play Area; Slope/Bank
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Children's Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden