Sedum album 'Black Pearl'

Garden drama doesn't always have to come from tall plants. Sedum album 'Black Pearl' makes its statement from ground level, with foliage so dark it almost disappears into the soil — a deep, near-black purple that intensifies in full sun and makes surrounding plants look brighter by contrast. In summer it sends up white to pale pink flowers that hover above all that darkness like a small miracle, and the contrast is genuinely arresting. Growing 4 to 6 inches tall and spreading 24 inches or more, it covers ground effectively while looking like it was put there by someone with a very good eye.

Hardy to Zone 4 and happy in full sun with well-drained soil, 'Black Pearl' thrives in the same conditions as most of its album cousins — rock gardens, gravel plantings, dry slopes, stepping stone edges. What sets it apart is the foliage color, which is about as dark as sedums get. Use it in contrast with silver-blue, chartreuse, or bright green neighbors and the effect is electric. In the Pacific Northwest, where the light has that particular quality in late summer and early fall, dark-leaved plants pick up and hold warmth in a way that lighter plants don't — 'Black Pearl' looks especially rich and moody in those conditions. This is the plant for gardeners who want their groundcovers to be sophisticated. No extra effort required.