Sedum Carl

[John_C]

I have recently bought 3 Sedum Carl plants so can anyone tell me exactly what species they are and whether they are likely to be as attractive to butterflies and bumble bees as Sedum Spectabile Brilliant for example, I would guess they may well be either a variety of Sedum Spectabile, Sedum Telephium or a hybrid just like Sedum Autumn Joy.

[Aughie]

I recently with my family and grand daughter visited our local tropical butterfly house. The extensive grounds around it are planted to attract native butterfly species. I got talking to the lady who runs the place as she spotted me taking photos on one of an avenue of butterfly bushes leading down to the tropical house itsself. We had a good chat about butterflies and she pointed out a row of sedum plants planted amongst the butterfly bushes. They were a creamy colour and its the first time I ever heard of sedum. She told me they have several fields left to grow wild where lots of ragwort nettles and napweeds etc are encouraged to grow. She also said she was angered by the number of people ringing up including a hotel which runs parties and other events and asking her to supply butterflies to be released at weddings. She said she pointed out that her butterflies are all tropical species and would simply die if released in Northern Ireland.

I have three butterfly bushes (a miniture variety) in my garden and earlier in the year was dissappointed that whilst the blue and the purple ones were in full bloom my white one was barely budding. As it turned out this month I counted a couple of days ago 6 small tortise shells ans three red admirals nectaring on the white whilst the other two plants have completely gone to seed.

I read on the butterfly conservation site that hydrengas are butterfly friendly. I have three and I NEVER saw a single butterfly feeding on any of them.One is a different variety from the other two with different flowers.

So back to sedum which variety should I get and be the best one for butterflies?

[John_C]

I have seen butterflies on various different sedums but sedum spectabile are definately the most attractive to butterflies as well as bees, all sedum spectabile cultivars are very good butterfly plants but from my experience both white ones (iceberg and stardust) and the pale pink one (brilliant) seem to attract even more butterflies than any of the others, there are also some sedum hybrids which the butterflies seem to like such as carl, matrona and mr goodbud.

[Susie]

I have three butterfly bushes (a miniture variety) in my garden and earlier in the year was dissappointed that whilst the blue and the purple ones were in full bloom my white one was barely budding. As it turned out this month I counted a couple of days ago 6 small tortise shells ans three red admirals nectaring on the white whilst the other two plants have completely gone to

I can't recommend buddleia weyeriana highly enough, they start flowering before the davidiis and mine are still going strong now.

[Aughie]

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely track down some sedum spectabile in white or pink. Sounds like the white I think is what the tropical butterfly house people were growing.

[leytonorient]

I have found, over many years, that the pale pink variety (brilliant?) had always attracted the most butterflies