Androsace sempervivoides

Androsace sempervivoides is a small undemanding perennial plant with exceptional flowering. This Himalayan species forms a dense cushion of green, rigid rosettes close to the ground. Its spring flowers consist of umbels of small pink to mauve flowers, with the small yellow centre gradually turning red. This alpine perennial has the ability to cover stones and occupy the smallest cracks filled with neglected soil left by other plants, but it is slightly delicate to grow. It works wonders in alpine rockeries, in dry stone walls, in well-drained soil that does not dry out too much.

The Androsace sempervivoides belongs the family Primulaceae, and is related to primroses. It is native to the Northwest Himalayas (Kashmir and Punjab), where it is found above 3000m (9842ft) altitude, on grassy slopes, scree slopes, and stabilized moraines (accumulations of eroded and transported rocky debris by a glacier or ice sheet). This perennial plant is evergreen, persisting throughout the year, even in winter.

It is an adorable slow-growing perennial, forming stems that root upon contact with the ground. In the end, it does not exceed 10 cm in height and has a spread of 20 cm (8in). The spatulate leaves, 1 cm (1in) long, are simple and grouped in compact rosettes (whorls) on the stems. They are a very soft green and covered with a fine whitish down. The flowers, 8 to 10 mm (1in) in diameter, bloom in April-May, are gathered in small compact umbels and are carried above the foliage by reddish and hairy stems, 2 to 7 cm (1 to 3in) long. Each flower has 5 light pink to mauve petals well spread around a yellow centre that slowly turns red.

Fairly easy to grow in mountain climates, this Androsace finds its place in raised beds, rockeries, on a wall, or on a slope, in association with other similar small plants, which won't risk suffocating it: choose, for example, saxifrages, gentians, or even Edelweiss, which appreciate the same environments.  This plant will delight an alpine plant enthusiast.