Soldanella villosa – Snowbell –

Description

Soldanella – Snowbell – There are about 10 small, spring flowering, evergreen perennial, related to Primrose, in this genus. They are found naturally occurring in the mountains of Europe in alpin turf or among rocks, often flowering through the melting snow. All interbreed freely. They produce basal rosettes of long stalked, rounded or kidney shaped, leathery leaves. The nodding to pendent, funnel or bell shaped, purple to white flowers have fringed petals and are borne in umbels, rarley singly. Grow in a rock garden. Grow in humus rich, moist, sharply drained soil in full sun with some midday shade, oor in partial shade in warm area.. Top dress with sharp grit, and protect from excessive winter moisture, Divide in early spring. Prone to slugs and snails. S. villosa – This vigorous, clump forming perennial from Southwestern Europe grows 12″ tall and 8′ wide. It produces rounded, hairy stalked, mid green leaves, to 3″ long, paler green beneath. In early spring, each stem bears 3 or 4 nodding, bell shaped violet flowers, ½” long, with fringed petals cut to three quarter of their length. Relatively easy to grow. Zones 4-7