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Alpine Rockery

Draba 'John Saxton'

whitlow grass 'John Saxton'

An evergreen, perennial forming low, tight mounds or compact mats made up of rosettes of small leaves. In spring, short stems bear an abundance of small white flowers just above the leaf rosettes

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Ultimate height

Up to 10cm

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Brassicaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Matforming
Genus: Draba can be annuals or evergreen perennials, with rosettes of small leaves forming compact cushions or mats, and short racemes of small, 4-petalled flowers in spring or early summer
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in gritty, moist but very well-drained soil in full sun. Protect from winter wet and water carefully to avoid wetting the foliage. Usually grown in rock garden or scree, or in pots in an alpine house

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by softwood cuttings of the rosettes

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Rock garden
Patio and container plants
Gravel garden

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and aphids under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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