ANDROSACE CYLINDRICA X HIRTELLA

Description

This is a beautiful and rewarding hybrid androsace to grow producing a tight and solid dome of minute leaves, which, in early spring, support a complete covering of fragrant, yellow-eyed white starry flowers. One of the parents, Androsace hirtella itself, grows only on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, the mountain range between France and Spain, where it thrives at 1800-2500 m in the crevices of limestone cliffs, but it can be cultivated happily in non limy composts which should contain one half to two thirds of a sharp grit with a particle size of 2-5 mm. High alpine androsaces, of which this is a typical example, prefer to be grown out of doors rather than in an alpine house but care needs to be taken to avoid excessive damp during the winter. This plant received an RHS Award in 1936!

Sowing Advice

Seeds can be sown at any time but are best sown in winter or early spring to benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost to break their dormancy. We advise covering seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit to about the depth of the seed size. If the seeds do not come up within 6 to 12 weeks the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in a fridge for about four weeks. They may still take very many months to appear, so please never discard the pot or tray.

Key Facts