Weihenstephaner Gold

When one of the most respected horticultural institutions in the world names a plant, you pay attention. Weihenstephaner Gold takes its name from Weihenstephan, the legendary German agricultural and horticultural university — a name synonymous with rigorous plant trials and high standards. This sedum earned its place in that tradition by being one of the best performing, most reliably floriferous yellow-flowering groundcover sedums available. In summer, the plant is covered — genuinely blanketed — in abundant golden-yellow flowers that attract pollinators and light up a sunny garden bed with warm, saturated color.

Hardy to Zone 3, it handles the full spectrum of Pacific Northwest conditions and then some — if it survives a German winter, our mild west-side climate is practically a vacation. It spreads reliably to form a good groundcover and the foliage stays attractive when it's not in bloom. Full sun and well-drained soil are the basic requirements, and beyond that it's essentially self-sufficient once established. Rock gardens, sunny slopes, dry borders, hell strips — it works in all of them. It just shows up every summer and puts on an extraordinary yellow flower show that justifies every square foot of garden space it occupies. Highly recommended without reservation.