Mystery plant

[PaulM]

This plant was posted in the June Journal of the Ontario Rock Garden and Hardy Plant Society and I personally have no idea what it is. I'm sure someone of you will know though.

[Martinr]

It's an Androsace akin to sarmentosa but I'm not expert enough to put a precise identity on it.

[Maggi Young]

It is often tricky to tell the difference between Androsace sarmentosa and A. studiosorum.
The AGS Androsace Group says : "The 3-5mm long by 1-2mm wide, equally sized bracts which distinguish this species ( A. sarmentosa) from the similar A. studiosorum whose alternately large and small bracts are also larger at 6-13mm long by 2-3 mm wide."

[Lesley Cox]

Yeah, right.

[Darren]

The good news: It is seemingly identical to a plant I have grown as A. sarmentosa for many years.

The bad news: Androsace expert David Mowle visited once and spent some time trying to decide if it actually was sarmentosa or not. No definitive conclusion was reached..

Whatever the name - it is a lovely, easy going plant and does fine in a trough without winter cover even in our wet winters. Some might find the shade of pink a little too brash. It once shared a trough here with the bright blue Veronica oltensis which flowers at the same time. The combination was certainly eyecatching.

[Darren]

In fact, here is a picture:

[angie]

Darren that's really is a eye-catching trough ... so much colour in one trough
Hope that's a dead snail sitting there 

Angie

[Darren]

Thank you Angie, yes - it was an ex-snail!

We still have the trough but it has never quite looked so good since. The aquilegia and veronica faded away ( I can live without the former but V.oltensis is a lovely plant and I hope to get it again one day) and it has been invaded by Geum rivale seedlings. Another overhaul on my 'to-do' list!

The Androsace is still with us (The label says ' A. sarmentosa Watkinsii' , which I am told is a fairly meaningless name.) The Genista growing down the right hand side lives on also.

[Tony Lee]

Hello all,I find with my limited knowledge that A studiosorum flowers a month earlier than sarmentosa,That is assuming of course that my plants ar correctly named.

[Maggi Young]

Hello all,I find with my limited knowledge that A studiosorum flowers a month earlier than sarmentosa,That is assuming of course that my plants ar correctly named.

 That's a handy reckoner for those with both types, Tony,thanks!