Lewisia cotyledon Elise Ruby Red

Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise Ruby Red' is undoubtedly the best among the Siskiyou Lewisias in the 'Elise' series, both for its solid ruby red colour and its exceptional cultivation performance. The plant blooms very young, from the first year of cultivation. On this adorable little perennial, a multitude of small brightly coloured star-shaped flowers bloom in spring and for much of the summer. Charming in rockeries, the 'Elise' Lewisias are also highly decorative plants for sunny flower pots. Plant them in well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade in hot climates.

Lewisia plants belong to the Portulacaceae family, recently reclassified in the Montiaceae family. They are all native to the North American Rocky Mountains and were discovered in the early 19th century. They grow in small isolated populations in rocky crevices or gravelly scree. Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise Ruby Red' is an evergreen perennial, without stems, with an underground storage organ called a caudex and a reddish-fusiform, ramified and pivoting root system. It hybridizes and self-seeds easily in rocky terrain.

The 'Elise' selection brings together some magnificent forms with very vivid or very tender colours: sumptuous shades of pink, salmon, orange, white, and yellow, on solid or bicoloured flowers. These plants have a loose tufted habit, reaching about 25cm (10in) in all directions. They form rosettes of succulent leaves with a dark glaucous green colour that turns red in the cold. The leaves measure 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) long and are narrow, spatulate in shape. Flowering occurs in spring, from March to June-July, depending on the climate. The flowers, about 3cm (1in) in diameter, appear as star-shaped corollas with 7 to 12 shiny, slightly fringed petals. They are clustered in small bouquets carried by a stem overhanging the leaf rosettes. They close at night.

A small plant with incredible charm, Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise Ruby Red' catches the eye with its profusion of delicate and cheerful flowers that seem to be 'grafted' onto the rocks. Whether as a border plant, in a flower pot on a balcony, or placed at the top of a wall, it is easy to find a special place for this little marvel, protected from winter humidity, which it fears more than the cold.

Lewisia plants are also called 'Bitter root' because their edible roots, covered with a bitter skin, were traditionally harvested by indigenous tribes to be consumed once peeled and cooked, grilled, or dried, and even served as currency. It is said that a plant kept dry for five years is capable of resurrecting to produce beautiful flowers the following summer. This is at least the adventure experienced by a curious London botanist.

Note: Please be aware that our young plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, repot and store them under cover (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame...) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before planting them outdoors once the risk of frost has been definitively eliminated.