Description
Parnassia – Bog Star – Grass of Parnassus –
There are about 15 herbaceous perennial in this genus. They occur in bogs in temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere. They produce basal rosettes of broadly ovate, heart, or kidney shaped, 1-4″ long, mid to dark green leaves. They are grown for their large, solitary 5 petaled, 1-1 ½” wide, bowl or saucer shaped, white to pale yellow flowers, with yellow, nectar bearing staminodes, borne on upright stems in spring, summer, or early autumn. Grow in a moist rock garden or bog garden.
Grow in humus rich, moderately fertile, wet soil in full sun or part shade. Divide in autumn or spring.
Prone to slugs and snails.
P. palustris – This rosette forming perennial from Northern temperate regions grows 8″ tall and half as wide. It produces ovate, heart shaped, light to mid green leaves, to 1 ½” long. In late spring to early summer it bears solitary, green veined, saucer shaped, white flowers, to 1″ across, with yellow nectar glands.
Zones 4-11
