SunSparkler is a trademarked series of compact Hylotelephium hybrids bred by Chris Hansen at Garden Solutions, released in the early 2010s. The series was developed specifically to solve the two perennial complaints about tall border sedums: the mid-summer flop, and the short window of colour. SunSparkler plants stay low, carry coloured foliage from spring to hard frost, and flower in late summer on short sturdy stems.
Part of the Complete Sedum Guide.
The cultivars
The series now runs to more than a dozen named selections. The most widely distributed:
- 'Dazzleberry' — blue-purple foliage, raspberry-pink flowers, 20 cm tall, spreading to 45 cm.
- 'Lime Zinger' — chartreuse leaves edged deep cherry red, light pink flowers, the most distinctive in the series.
- 'Firecracker' — glossy maroon foliage from spring, rose-pink flowers in late summer; breakthrough colour stability.
- 'Cherry Tart' — cherry-red foliage, pink flowers.
- 'Plum Dazzled' — purple foliage, magenta flowers.
- 'Wildfire' — multicoloured new growth shifting to red, soft pink flowers.
- 'Blue Elf' — blue-grey foliage, magenta flowers, the smallest of the series at 15 cm.
All are patented and propagation for resale requires a licence.
Identification
SunSparkler plants share a common form: tight basal crown, stems radiating outward rather than upward, leaves typically under 3 cm, and flat-topped cymes of starry flowers 3 to 5 cm across. The habit is mat-like with an arched rise, more like a large creeper than a classic upright Hylotelephium. If you pick one up from a garden centre and it looks like a miniature 'Autumn Joy' with unusually purple or chartreuse leaves, you are probably holding a SunSparkler.
Cultivation
Standard Hylotelephium treatment: full sun, free-draining ground, no feeding. Points specific to the series:
- Hardy to USDA zone 4. Reliable perennials across most of Europe and northern North America.
- Flop is almost non-existent, so the Chelsea chop is unnecessary. Cutting back removes flower buds without benefit.
- Foliage colour holds best in lean soil and hot sun. Rich beds dilute the pigments and produce larger greener plants.
- Unlike the tall types, SunSparkler plants look best massed in groups of five or seven at the front of a border or spilling over a retaining wall.
Propagation
Division works in early spring as new shoots emerge; lift the clump, split the crown with a clean knife, discard any dead central tissue, replant the outer sections. Stem cuttings also root readily in summer. Propagation for personal use is allowed; for resale, plant patents for the series run to 2030 or later depending on cultivar.
Notes
SunSparkler was developed alongside Chris Hansen's better-known Rock 'N Grow series, which targets the larger upright market. Both series represent a decade-long push to rebuild Hylotelephium breeding around compact form and saturated foliage colour. Older cultivars like 'Autumn Joy' and 'Matrona' still dominate catalogues, but the SunSparklers are the ones worth adding if you want colour across the whole growing season rather than a single autumn flush.