Hylotelephium 'Bertram Anderson'

One of the finest grey-leaved sedum turnin plum colored by seasons end, Hylotelephium 'Bertram Anderson' is a compact, trailing perennial. The rounded, fleshy leaves set the stage for rosy-pink flowers that appear in late summer — a combination of cool purple foliage and warm pink bloom that looks deliberately sophisticated. It tops out around 6 to 8 inches tall with a graceful, slightly sprawling habit that works beautifully at the front of a border or spilling over a low wall.

Hardy to Zone 4, it handles PNW winters on both sides of the Cascades without complaint. Full sun brings out the deepest foliage color — shade will green it up and mute the drama significantly, so give it the sunniest spot you've got. Pair it with silver-leaved companions like Sedum spathulifolium for a contrast that earns second looks, or mass it with 'Purple Emperor' for a layered study in plum tones. In the Pacific Northwest, where late-summer color can be hard to come by, 'Bertram Anderson' delivers exactly when you need it most.