Petrophytum Caespitosa

Description

This delightful, bone hardy, extremely dwarf shrub is native mainly to California and is confined to rocks and crevices in the mountains of the interior of western North America. It displays its evergreen blue-green tufts, and attractive, small bottle brush-like white flowers in summer and does well in sun or part shade in very sharply drained soil. In cultivation it will do well in trough, crevice garden or scree bed and will make a good pan for an alpine show.

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