Lewisia cotyledon 'SUNSET STRAIN'

Lewisia is a beautiful succulent plant from North America. Cotyledon hybrids are probably the most popular, offering a wide range of colours. Sunset Strain is a great variety sought after for its soft but rich colours of setting sun. They come out atop 10-20 cm tall stems from May until early September if grown in good conditions. Leaves are inversely lance-shaped in basal rosettes. They look a bit like an open houseleek plant.

Lewisia needs gritty, free-draining soil. The best place is on top of a rock garden, or in the crevices of a retaining wall. Its thick, fleshy root grows at least 10 cm deep where searches for nutrients. So make sure that the lower level (5cm downward) is a mixture of good compost and sharp sand, while the top layer will be only sand or sharp gravel to keep the root neck from rotting. You can provide a little bit of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. If the plant you just purchased is grown in peat substrate get rid of it gently in a bucket of water. Hardy to about -25°C (USDA zone 6).

Last update 30-01-2013; 17-05-2016