The name Androsace brings to mind pictures of high alpine cushions, clinging to the most inaccessible rock crevices, or perhaps grown to perfection as show plants. In fact the genus also includes some that make spreading mats and are easily grown outside without protection, some meadow herbs, and some annual weeds. You won't find the last group here. The majority are high alpines, making cushions or mats of tight rosettes, with short-stems flowers, singly or in small clusters.

Androsace strigillosa has neat rosettes of small leaves in winter, and much larger leaves in summer. It has upright stems with a loose umbel of a few flowers, white when they are open. But what makes this highly sought after is the reverse of the petals, seen also in bud, which is a deep, dusky pink, outlined with white. It has grown well outside for many years, eventually making a wide clump.