Description
Ramonda –
There are 3 species of rosette forming evergreen perennials, in this genus. They occur in shady rock crevices and cliff faces in Northeastern Spain, the Pyrenees, and the Balkan Mountains. They are grown for their hairy, crinkled leaves, of variable shape and color, and their flat or shallowly cup shaped, colorful flowers. The flowers are often slightly 2 lipped, with 4 or 5, rarely 6 petals, and are born singly or in cymes like panicles on slender, leafless stems, in late spring and early summer. Grow Ramonda in a rock garden, in crevices in a stone wall, or alpine house.
In an alpine house, grow in equal parts loam, leaf mold and grit, in bright filtered light with shade from hot sun. Outdoors, grow in moist but well drained, humus rich, moderately fertile soil in partial shade. Plants are best grown on their sides to avoid accumulation of moisture in the rosettes, which may cause rotting in winter. Leaves wither in dry conditions, but recover if watered throughly.
Very susceptible to slugs and snail.
R. myconi – R. pyrenaica – Balkan Primrose – Pyrenean Primrose – Rosette Mullein – This rosette forming, evergreen perennial from the Pyrenees and Northeastern Spain grows 4″ tall and 8″ wide. It produces elliptic to very broadly ovate, hairy, slightly crinkled, dark green leaves, to 3″ long. In late spring and early summer it bears cyme like panicles of outward facing, flat 5 petaled flowers, to 1″ across, usually deep violet-blue with yellow anthers, held on reddish brown stems, Pink and white flowered variants also occur.
Zones 5-7
