Cassiope selaginoides –

Description

Cassiope – There are about 12 species of dwarf, low growing, evergreen shrubs, in this genus. They occur in diverse habitats in arctic and alpine regions in the Northern Hemisphere. They have 4 rows of tiny, overlapping, scale like leaves, pressed flat to the whipcord like stems. Wiry stems carry either single or large numbers of nodding small, white or pink, urn shaped flowers in late spring and early summer. Grow in a rock garden or in open areas in woodland. Grow in sheltered site in moist, slightly acidic, humus rich soil in partial shade or in open sunny sites. Prone to Exobasidium gall. C. selaginoides – This many branched shrub from Western China grows 6″ tall and wide. It produces stems densely clothed in minute narrowly oblong, deeply furrowed, dark green leaves, to 1/16″ long. In late spring it bears nodding bell shaped white flowers, to ½” across, with red calyces, atop of green flower stalks. Zones 7-8