Raoulia australis - Vegetable Sheep

The Raoulia australis, also known as the vegetable sheep or silver carpet, is a botany species found in high mountains, fascinating but somewhat delicate to cultivate under most of our climates. It is one of the few Raoulia species that can be found in cultivation, and it is a surprising perennial incredibly well-adapted to its habitat. It is a completely prostrate plant, very low, resembling a lichen; the tiny scale-like, evergreen, silver leaves slowly cover any substrate, conforming to every contour. In summer, it produces beautiful waves of yellow flowering heads with feathery petals. A delightful alpine plant to be grown in a fresh and sunny rockery, with non-calcareous, poor soil.

The Raoulia australis belongs to the aster family, just like sunflowers and daisies. It is a perennial native to the high mountains of New Zealand, on non-calcareous soils. It forms a very dense, compact carpet, reaching a height of 1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) and spreading 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16in). This carpet is made up of stems that root at the nodes, bearing very small, round, uniformly silver, shiny, entire leaves. It slowly but surely expands over many years where it thrives. The summer flowering is abundant: the tiny yellow, feathery flowering heads are carried by 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) stems, scattered across the vegetative mat. It is a hardy plant, but it is susceptible to winter moisture, which often causes it to perish in our climates.

For this silver carpet, a non-calcareous alpine rockery is highly recommended. In any case, it loves very porous, sandy, well-drained soils, but it does not appreciate the summer heat coupled with prolonged drought, especially when it is young. Winter moisture can compromise its hardiness in an unsuitable soil. The Raoulia australis is a fantastic plant and is ideal to be grown alongside other carpet plants such as Cotula hispida, Leptinella potentillina, or Mentha requienii. It naturally associates with alpine plants such as saxifrages, campanulas, thyme, and silver baskets... It will also thrive in containers or in the crevices of walls. Plant it in a wide pot, protected from winter rains, and it will be perfectly happy. The Raoulia can also be used in a large rockery bordering a waterfall, in the gaps between paving stones, or to replace mosses in Japanese gardens, in a sunny montane garden.