Hylotelephium is a genus of flowering plants in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae. It includes about 33 species distributed in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Species in the genus, formerly included in Sedum, are popular garden plants, known as sedum, stonecrop, live-for-ever, or orpine. Horticulturalists have hybridised many of the species to create new cultivars. Many of the newer ones are patented, so may not be propagated without a license.
Taxonomy
Hylotelephium telephium and related species have been considered in a number of different ways since first being described by Linnaeus in 1753, including as a section of Sedum by Gray in 1821, or a subgenus. But these taxa are quite distinct from Sedum morphologically.
Hylotelephium is one of a group of genera that form a separate lineage from Sedum, and is closely related to Orostachys, Meterostachys, and Sinocrassula.
The separation and recognition of Hypotelephium as a genus separate from Sedum has varied over time. As of March 2025, Plants of the World Online (POWO) and World Flora Online both recognise the genus Hylotelephium, with both documenting 28 accepted species. In horticulture, plants may often still be referred to as Sedum, with which they remain closely related.
Species The following species are recognised in the genus Hylotelephium: Image Scientific name Distribution Hylotelephium anacampseros Southwestern Europe Hylotelephium angustum Hylotelephium × bergeri Hylotelephium bonnafousii Hylotelephium callichromum Hylotelephium cauticolaHokkaido, Japan Hylotelephium cyaneum Hylotelephium erythrostictumJapan, Korea, Russia and China. Hylotelephium ewersii Hylotelephium maximum Hylotelephium mingjinianum Hylotelephium pallescensChina, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia Hylotelephium pluricaule Hylotelephium populifolium Hylotelephium sieboldiiJapan Hylotelephium sordidum Hylotelephium spectabileChina and Korea. Hylotelephium sukaczevii Hylotelephium tatarinowii Hylotelephium telephioidesUS extends from Georgia to Illinois and New York, and it has introduced populations in Ontario. Hylotelephium telephiumEurasia. Hylotelephium tianschanicum Hylotelephium uralense Hylotelephium ussuriense Hylotelephium verticillatumChina, Japan, Korea, Russia Hylotelephium viride Hylotelephium viviparum
Hybrids Hylotelephium hybrids
Etymology
Hylotelephium means 'woodland distant lover'. 'Hylo' is derived from Greek, meaning 'forest' or 'woodland'. 'Telephium', also derived from Greek, means 'distant-lover'; the plant was thought to be able to indicate when one's affections were returned.
References
Bibliography
(full text at ResearchGate)
, in Flora of China online vol. 8