Lewisia cotyledon Elise Ruby Red seeds - Siskiyou lewisia

growing Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise Ruby Red' from seed allows you to grow this compact alpine perennial at low cost; it is prized for its spectacular flowering in an intense ruby red. This variety stands out with its glossy, satiny flowers, borne in clusters above a dense rosette of dark green, fleshy leaves. Highly suited to rockeries, dry stone walls and planters, it creates colourful focal points in small spaces as well as in more structured compositions. It enjoys sunny or lightly shaded positions and well-drained soil, and is particularly averse to winter moisture. It therefore requires planting in free-draining ground or in pots to avoid excess water during the cold season.

Lewisia are plants from the Portulacaceae family, recently reclassified into the Montiaceae family. They are all native to the Rocky Mountains and were discovered in the early 19th century. There, they grow in small, isolated populations in rock crevices or gravelly scree. Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise Ruby Red' or Siskiyou Lewisia 'Elise Ruby Red' is a horticultural cultivar derived from the species Lewisia cotyledon, also known as Calandrinia cotyledon and Oreobroma cotyledon, native to the mountainous regions of the western United States, particularly southern Oregon and northern California. The 'Elise Ruby Red' cultivar was developed by the Dutch company Floragran and received the Fleuroselect Gold Medal for its intense ruby red hue, continuous flowering, and exceptional performance in pots or in the ground. It is distinguished by its brilliant ruby red, star-shaped flowers, measuring about 2.5 cm in diameter, which bloom from late spring to autumn. The plant forms a compact rosette of fleshy, evergreen, dark green leaves, reaching a height of 15 to 25 cm and a spread of 15 to 20 cm. The slightly hairy flower stems bear inflorescences in compound corymbs made up of several flowers. The root system consists of a taproot accompanied by clustered roots, giving the plant good drought resistance once established.

Planted in a wall crevice or nestled at the edge of a stone trough, Lewisia cotyledon ‘Elise Ruby Red’ catches the eye like a gem fallen into the rockery. Its deep red gracefully complements the silvery foliage of Artemisia ‘Lambrook Silver’, the golden flashes of Sedum ‘Angelina’ or the soft tones of Dianthus ‘Mrs Sinkins’. In a pot, it can be jewel-like, accompanied by other small dry-ground perennials, adding a precious touch to the most unexpected spots in the garden.