Hylotelephium spectabile (Showy Stonecrop)

Native to China and Korea, this clump-forming succulent perennial herb has upright, fleshy stems. Its thick, blue-green oval leaves have coarse teeth along their margins and occur in opposite pairs or whorls. Flat-topped flower clusters carry numerous small, pink, star-shaped blooms from late summer into autumn. The flowers become dark reddish brown as they age, and their seed heads can persist through winter. Its late flowers attract butterflies and other pollinating insects. It tolerates drought and salt and is grown in rock gardens and borders. It may cause stomach upset if eaten. Photographed in Colombia.