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. fimbriata – This rosette forming perennial found from Alaska to California grows 8-24″ tall and wide. It produces kidney shaped, mid green basal leaves, up to 2″ long, and long stalked, broadly ovate stem leaves, up to 3/4″ long. In late summer and early autumn it bears solitary, bowl shaped white flowers, up to 1 ½” across.
Zones 7-11
