Lewisia cotyledon 'ELISE'

Lewisia is a beautiful succulent plant from North America. Cotyledon hybrids are probably the most popular, offering a wide range of colours. Elise is a variety with slightly taller stems reaching some 10-15 cm long and not bending, atop which loose sprays of multi-coloured flowers appear from late April until September if grown in good conditions. Flowers are about 2 cm across and offer mostly warm colours: beige, yellow, orange, salmon pink and coral red, as well as some striking colder shades of neon pink and purple red, and of course white. Its evergreen leaves are thick, rather narrow, strap-shaped and mostly lying on the ground. This variety was awarded Fleuroselect Golden Medal in 2013.

Lewisia needs gritty, free-draining soil. The best place is on top of a rock garden, or in the crevices of a retaining wall. Its thick, fleshy root grows at least 10 cm deep where it searches for nutrients. So make sure that the lower level (5cm downward) is a mixture of good compost and sharp sand, while the top layer will be only sand or sharp gravel to keep the root neck from rotting. You can provide a little bit of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. If the plant you just purchased is grown in peat substrate get rid of it gently in a bucket of water. Hardy to about -25°C (USDA zone 6), perhaps a couple of degrees lower.

Last update 17-05-2016