If you're looking for a plant that's worry-free with vivid color all season, check out this trendsetting succulent. Lemon Coral shines brightly from spring through fall with its fun-textured, glowing chartreuse to granny smith apple green, succulent foliage. It plays nicely with others in containers and landscapes without being a bully and won't wilt if you forget to water for a few days. No spent flowers to deal with, no crazy growth to restrain – just plant and enjoy. If only everything in life was so simple!
Quick Facts about Lemon Coral
Incredibly easy to grow
Spiky-yet-soft texture
Bold, fresh color all season
Versatile in containers and landscapes
Plays well with others
Grows in full sun and part sun
Heat and drought tolerant
3-10" tall x 10-14" spread
Annual except in zones 7a-11b
Lemon Coral plays well with others in containers; it won't overrun its companions and pairs easily with other colors. See the recipe here.
Growing Lemon Coral in Containers and Window Boxes
This succulent is super easy to mix with other sun and part sun loving plants. Its flashy chartreuse color easily complements anything you decide to pair it with, from contrasting purples to complementary citrus hues. Rounded bowl-shaped pots and shallow troughs at least 12" wide will easily fit Lemon Coral and a few companions.
You'll find that Lemon Coral tends to form a dense carpet of brilliant, succulent foliage. When you first plant it, the foliage will be more mounded in shape, but as summer progresses it will trail over the edges of the container.
The pop of chartreuse from Lemon Coral brightens up this shade container which also includes Rockapulco® Coral Reef impatiens and ColorBlaze® Chocolate Drop coleus. See the recipe here.
Spruce Up Your Hanging Baskets
As a succulent plant, Lemon Coral tends to prefer slightly drier soil than some other annuals that require daily watering. Since the soil in hanging baskets tends to dry out faster than soil in upright containers, that works in its favor. Make sure to choose companions that share those same preferences so all of the plants in your hanging basket will flourish.
When you first plant Lemon Coral, its foliage will be more mounded in shape. As summer progresses, it will trail over the edges of the hanging basket and its companions will learn to weave in and around its branches.
Lemon Coral isn't just for growing in containers. Its mounded to low, spreading shape makes it ideal for use as a small-scale groundcover or edging at the front of your garden beds. Find a sunny to partly sunny spot where you could use a punch of color and pop a few in the ground. Don't worry if the hose or sprinkler doesn't reach – remember this plant prefers drier soils. If your soil is heavy clay and tends to retain moisture, consider growing it in a raised bed or container instead.
Lemon Coral forms a thick carpet of succulent, needlelike foliage as it creeps slowly across the ground. Think of it like a living mulch that does its part to suppress competing weeds and prevent soil erosion.
How Hardy Is It?
If you garden in zones 7a or warmer, Lemon Coral will likely be perennial for you, returning every year. In colder zones, it is typically grown as an annual. It is easy to confuse Lemon Coral with a similar looking, cold hardy perennial sedum named 'Angelina' which is an aggressive spreader. Lemon Coral and 'Angelina' are different species of sedum with drastically different cold hardiness and habits. Lemon Coral has the benefit of possessing the beauty of 'Angelina' without the worry about it being too aggressive in the landscape.
Contributor Bio: Susan Martin is an avid zone 6 gardener, garden writer and speaker who enjoys spreading her passion for plants to her fellow gardeners. Follow her on Facebook @Gardener Sue's News.
All articles are copyrighted and remain the property of the author.
By Laura Root
Photos courtesy of Jackson & Perkins
Gardeners are always thinking ahead to the next season or the next year. And, fall is the ideal time to think about spring. Flowering shrubs, perennials and spring bulbs are great choices.
Click here for an interesting article about spring bulbs.
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