minature London pride
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
This dwarf version of London pride is an indispensable groundcover for dense shade. Easy to accommodate, it is evergreen and phenomenally useful. Dark green rosettes of foliage make for an attractive growth habit. Slowly spreading by stolens, like strawberries, it is well behaved. It looks wonderful when planted between stone stepping stones or stairs.It can withstand dense shade and looks great even with heavy root competition from trees and shrubs. Additionally, it is drought resistant. It will produce airy flower spikes if planted in bright shade or full sun but not in dark shade. Removing stoloniferous offsets and planting them where you want them to grow is a good way to increase Saxifraga primuloides. This is best done in late fall and winter when rains prevents the propagules from desiccating. This is a workhorse of a groundcover for that very difficult cultural condition of dry, dark shade.
Plant Type: perennial
Foliage Type: evergreen
Plant Height (10-year): 0 ft. 7 in. (0.18 meters)
Plant Width/Spread (10-year): 1 ft. 6 in. (0.46 meters)
Hardiness: USDA Zones 7 to 10
Flower Color: pink
Sun/Light Exposure: light to deep shade
Water Requirements: drought tolerant once established, but appreciates occasional water during very long dry spells
Seasonal Interest: diminutive year-round evergreen with spring flowers
This small groundcover grows best in light to deep shade. Provide a location with moist to well-drained soil. It will tolerate sandy sites and clay if the drainage is adequate. Once established it is drought tolerant, but does appreciate occasional watering during prolonged dry weather. It can be divided in late fall and winter.
Text and photos ©2020 Great Plant Picks/Elisabeth Carey Miller Garden except where otherwise noted
Funded by the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation, The Seattle Times, and Individual Donors
Administered by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden