A cultivar from the Brassicaceae family, Aubrieta 'Elsa Lancaster' is a horticultural form selected from species of the Aubrieta genus originating from the mountainous regions of the eastern Mediterranean basin. A semi-evergreen perennial, it is immediately distinguished by its extraordinary foliage: the rosettes, very tight and compact, consist of small, thick, rounded leaves, strongly crinkled and blistered, densely covered with a silvery white indumentum that gives them an almost fluffy texture. This unusually structured appearance of the foliage is more reminiscent of certain saxifrages than classic aubrietas.
The flowers are simple, with four broad and rounded petals, in a bright magenta pink to violet, veined with darker, well-visible veins, with a light yellow-green center surrounded by prominent stamens. The flower buds, covered with the same indumentum as the foliage, are also very characteristic.
In its natural habitat, the parent species bloom from April to June. In cultivation, flowering generally occurs from March to May.
This cultivar requires a location in full sun, in well-drained, slightly calcareous soil, with good protection against excess winter moisture that could compromise the dense rosettes.