About

This evergreen perennial forms a dense mat and spreads through stolons. Its rosettes are adorned with fine hairs, giving them a silvery appearance during the winter months. In spring, the plant produces clusters of deep pink flowers, each featuring a small yellow eye, supported by red stems.

About the genus

Androsace comprises annuals, biennials, or evergreen perennials that create mat-like or dense cushion formations. The flowers, which are typically salver-shaped, can appear individually or in clusters known as umbels.

Growing conditions

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained

Aspect

South-facing, West-facing

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness

H5

Plant details

Plant type

Alpine Rockery

Habit

Matforming

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

Up to 10 cm

Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Time to full height

2-5 years

Suggested uses

Patio and container plants, Rock garden, Gravel garden

Native to

Himalaya

Care notes

Cultivation

Grow in a scree bed, in vertical crevices in rock or in moist but gritty, well-drained soil

Pruning

No pruning required

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers in an open cold frame as soon as ripe, or in autumn. Root single rosettes as cuttings in early to mid summer. Keep moist but water from below to avoid wetting the rosettes

Pest resistance

Generally pest-free. May be susceptible to aphids under glass

Disease resistance

Vulnerable to fungal disease in damp conditions. Remove dead rosettes to reduce the risk of infection