Androsace villosa

Hairy Androsace. Wide distribution area covering the mountains of Southern Europe (Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Balkans) to the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Himalayas, between approximately 1,500 and 4,000 meters.

Forms loose to moderately dense cushions, composed of rosettes with oblong-lanceolate leaves, densely covered with long, soft, silky hairs — hence the name villosa , « hairy ».

The flowers, pure white to slightly pink with a yellow eye turning red after fertilization, are grouped in umbels of 3 to 10 flowers on stems of 2 to 6 cm.

One of the easiest cushion androsaces to cultivate, tolerating both calcareous and siliceous substrates, provided they are perfectly drained. Blooms from April to June.