Scientific Name
×Hylostachys 'Blue Elf'
Synonym(s)
×Hylostachys 'Blue Elf' SunSparkler®, ×Sedoro 'Blue Elf', ×Sedoro 'Blue Elf' SunSparkler®
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Tribe: Telephieae
Nothogenus: ×Hylostachys
Description
×Hylostachys 'Blue Elf', also known as ×Sedoro 'Blue Elf', is a mat-forming succulent that grows up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall and spreads up to 16 inches (40 cm) wide over the first year. Clusters of fragrant, dark pink flowers cover the plant foliage in late summer. Steel blue, tufted rosettes come from the Orostachys parent. Pink flowers come from the Hylotelephium parent.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 4a to 9b: from −30 °F (−34.4 °C) to 30 °F (−1.1 °C).
How to Grow and Care
The genus Hylotelephium may not be familiar to many of you, but in fact, most gardeners have seen or are growing these succulents without knowing it. That is because this genus was once part of the genus Sedum. Species in the genus are popular garden plants, known as "Border Stonecrops" or "Border Sedums."
Hylotelephiums will thrive in conditions that many other plants thrive in but will do just as well in less hospitable areas. These plants are ideal for that part of your yard that gets too much sun or too little water to grow anything else. They also grow well in containers.
Border Stonecrops prefer full sun. They tolerate some light shade in hot summer climates but produce weak, floppy growth when grown in too much shade or overly fertile soils. Plant them in an area of your garden that gets 6 hours of sunlight a day.
These succulents succeed in most soils but prefer a well-drained potting mix.
Hylotelephiums are drought-tolerant plants. The best way to water these plants is to use the "soak and dry" method. First, get the soil completely wet, and then wait until the soil is dry before watering again.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Hylotelephium.
Origin
This succulent is a part of the SunSparkler® series from the breeding work of Chris Hansen. The parentage of ×Hylostachys 'Blue Elf' is indicated as Sedum × Orostachys. Unfortunately, the breeder has ignored that the Sedum he has used is a species of the genus Hylotelephium, so the correct parentage is Hylotelephium × Orostachys. And unfortunately, the experts he has contacted did not know how the name of a hybrid genus has to be formed. It has to be the first part or whole of one name and the second part of the other. He, however, has combined the first part of both. That means the name ×Sedoro 'Blue Elf' is invalid in all respects.
Links
- Back to nothogenus ×Hylostachys
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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