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Soldanella villosa

Primulaceae

Soldanella villosa

Habitat: woodland, part shade

Flowering: late spring

Height: 20 cm

Width: 25 cm

Soil: with humus

The snowbells are amongst the favourite flowers of the European Alps, pushing their way through the melting snow, to show their delightful fringed bells. Their characteristic round, shiny leaves follow, and one way of identifying species is by way of the colour underneath the leaves, which can be red, green, blue-grey or purple. They are all fine plants for a cool damp place, outside or in a pot. They should be divided regularly to maintain vigour, and marauding slugs should be persuaded to hunt elsewhere. [I was astonished to read that a Soldanella germinated from a block of peat dug as fuel in Orkney.]

Soldanella villosa is the biggest and most robust of the genus, steadily spreading to give a mat. The old leaves are best cleared away early in spring, leaving the stage for the fresh new leaves, unfurling at the same time as the purple, fringed bells open.
9 cm pot £3.50

		Soldanella alpina has lavender-blue flowers with red markings on the inside. The petals are fringed to half-way. Leathery, dark green, heart-shaped leaves.
		Soldanella alpina SDR6312 came from the south-west Alps. It has pale purplish pink flowers, marked with red on the inside, over leathery, dark green, heart-shaped leaves.
		Soldanella alpina SDR6332 has lovely deep lavender flowers, the petals fringed half way to the centre of the flower. The leathery, rounded leaves are dark green.
		Soldanella alpina SDR6915 comes from the European Alps, and has lovely deep lavender flowers, the petals fringed half way to the centre of the flower. The leathery, rounded leaves are dark green.
		Soldanella cyanaster is one of the larger species, with several widely flared flowers on each upright stem, almost blue (the bluest of the genus).
		Soldanella minima is the smallest snowbell, with pure white flowers over quite dark green, shiny leaves. In the wild it is always found on limestone, and in cultivation will probably do better with some lime in the soil.
		Soldanella minima SDR5481 is the smallest snowbell, with pure white flowers over quite dark green, shiny leaves. In the wild it is always found on limestone, and in cultivation will probably do better with some lime in the soil. This is from the limestone mountains of central Europe.
		Soldanella pusilla is a species of 'snowbell' widely distibuted on acid soils in the Alps. It has the usual flared, fringed, hanging bells, appearing as the snow disappears, and shiny, round leaves. The flower colour is pink, with just a hint of purple, quite different from Soldanella alpina.