Code:505
it is found in rocky crevices
Family: Cruciferae
Common name: Denseleaf draba, Alpine Whitlow-Grass
Plant Classification: Hardy perennial
Minimum Height: 10 cm
Maximum Height: 15 cm
This tiny plant forms hard cushion-like mats of small fleshy, hairy, pointed leaves smothered in bright yellow flowers in early spring. Native to western North America, it is found in rocky crevices and on slopes on the mountains above 2000 meters from California to Alaska and Wyoming.
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.
Phenology:
Flowering from May-July, depending on elevation.
Habitat:
Gravelly, open soil of rocky slopes and exposed ridges in the montane to alpine zones.
