Last weekend, when we filled 20 bags of leaves, I was delighted to find this little dude poking up from the mulch as I cleaned up the front yard. It’s an Autumn Joy Sedum, also known as a Live Forever plant. It was given to me by my next door neighbor earlier this summer. She gave me two and I planted them on either side of of my front steps. These were cuttings from her plants throughout her yard and I learned that she received the original from her late mother-in-law, many years ago.
I kept the roots in water for several weeks, hoping they would grow out a bit. When they got a bit longer I planted them. Then, I was horrified to return the next day to find the squirrels had dug them up. I’d plant them deeper, water them, and the next day find the #$%@! squirrels had dug them up again and again. Eventually, the one didn’t make it at all, and the one pictured above was so small I didn’t have much hope.
So to find this one blooming was a wonderful surprise. We had probably our last mild day today, so I’ll need to find out if I should cover it or something to increase it’s chance of survival into next year. (I have a black thumb.) I have another sedum, a much bigger cutting, given to me by another friend. Like she said it would, it bloomed this autumn with the burgundy colored flowers. I hope that seeing the same type of flowers on this smaller plant means it’s established enough to make it.
I’ll be so happy if it grows bigger and I can split it up and plant more of it’s children around my yard. I’d love to keep it going on my side of the fence.
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