The Olympus rock flower is one of the first splashes of color after a dreary and gray winter. With it, dreary walls in particular can be skilfully staged. And best of all: the plant is easy to care for and undemanding.
With its moss-like cushion, the Olympus rockflower (Draba bruniifolia) is an ornament for every rock garden. The evergreen foliage is just as eye-catching as the golden-yellow flowers in spring. The small perennial is versatile and easy to care for. You can now find out what needs to be considered when planting the Olympus rockflower.
Plant Description
The rock flowers belong to the cruciferous plants. The genus Draba includes about 400 species of plants distributed in Eurasia, North America and North Africa. Rockflowers are mainly found in the northern hemisphere. The perennial herbaceous plants have umbrella-like inflorescences. Ovate pods develop from the flowers. The seeds are arranged in two rows in the fruit. After fruit ripening, the fruits open and release the seeds.
Rock Flowers - the species-rich genus
Carl Linnaeus named and described the first rockflowers in 1767. Draba is the most species-rich genus of the plant family Brassicaceae. Some types of rock flowers are also known as starvation flowers. Rockflowers mainly thrive in alpine, arctic or subalpine zones. In North America, the rock flowers are most numerous with about 120 species. About 70 species are represented in South America. China has nearly fifty species.
When does Mount Olympus bloom?
The umbel-shaped yellow flowers appear between March and April. This makes the Olympus rockflower one of the spring flowers and the first bright spots in the garden after winter.
Introduced some rockflower species
Rockworts come in numerous species, some of which are difficult to distinguish from one another.
Carpathian rock flowers
The Carpathian rockflower can grow up to 20 centimeters high and is therefore quite a bit taller than the Olympus rockflower. The leathery onesLeaves are held together in rosettes. The stems remain leafless. Flowering starts later and lasts from May to June. The plant mainly grows in the Balkans or in Slovakia. A few occurrences are recorded in the Austrian Alps.
Grey Rock Flower
The gray rockflower can grow up to 30 centimeters high and forms a pretty contrast to the Olympus rockflower in the rock garden with its hairy leaves and gray inflorescences. The flowering period extends over the summer. The gray rockwort prefers dry hillsides and often grows near the coast.
Norwegian Rockflower
The Norwegian rockflower also grows quite low at seven to twenty centimetres. The stems are covered with some leaves and hairs. The white ray flowers appear in early summer. The Norwegian rockflower grows on riverbanks, in rocky ravines or on gravel surfaces.
How to plant the Olympus Rockflower
❍ Location:
If we look at the growth habit of the Olympus rockflower, the space problem should already seem solved, because the plants are only five to seven centimeters high and about twelve centimeters wide.
The right location is found in a sunny rock garden, on dry stone walls or in the Alpinum. The Olympus rockflower wants to grow between stones and keep its feet dry. A solitary position is an advantage for the plant, as it is quickly put in its place and pushed out by larger plant neighbors.
Coming soon:
- sunny
- dry
- warm
❍ Substrate:
The soil should primarily be permeable. The water must always be able to drain off well, as there must be no waterlogging. Poor soil, on the other hand, is not a problem for the undemanding plants and lime is also well tolerated.
In its natural environment, the Olympus rock flower grows on dry, stony soil, in rock crevices or on dry grass.
» Tip: Heavy soils can be made more permeable by adding coarse sand or gravel.
Coming soon:
- permeable
- lean
- mineral
- calcareous
❍ Planting Instructions:
❶ Select location
❷ Observe planting distance
❸ Dig planting hole
❹ Bring in drainage
❺ Insert plant
❻ Fill up excavation❼ Press the soil gently
❽ Water the plant
If an attractive carpet of flowers is to develop quickly, thegroup planting. A planting distance of 20 centimeters must be observed. Up to 25 plants can be planted per square meter.
Extra tip: plant rock flowers on dry stone walls
The Olympus rockflower is very suitable for planting on dry stone walls. The plants are hardy and have no problem with dry and poor soil conditions. A sunny dry stone wall should be selected so that there is a rich carpet of flowers. The different areas of the dry stone wall are characterized by a different microclimate. The rock flower feels most comfortable on the top of the wall. The cushion perennial looks attractive on the wall crown and slightly overhanging. There it can be combined with stone cabbage, stone bags, goose cress or blue cushion.
How to properly care for the Olympus rockflower
❍ casting:
The Olympus Rockflower prefers a dry site. Long dry periods do not bother the cushion perennial. It should only be watered moderately. The floor must not feel wet. Drainage made of coarse sand or grit helps against waterlogging.
❍ Fertilize:
The plants do not need any fertilization because they prefer to grow on poor and nutrient-poor soil. Soil that is too heavy is loosened up with sand or gravel. On this occasion, some mature compost can be mixed into the substrate. Further fertilization is not necessary.
❍ Pruning:
The plants do not need to be cut. Due to the low growth, pruning measures are superfluous. However, the hobby gardener is still required to remove faded inflorescences and also to remove withered or diseased shoots.
❍ Propagation:
Rockflowers are easy to propagate. This is particularly easy to do by division. The small cushions quickly increase in size. The plants can easily be divided with a spade. The plant is then carefully removed from the soil so that the roots are not injured. The section of plant that has been separated can then be replanted immediately at the desired location.
Sowning requires a little more patience. Several young plants can be grown for this. The seeds are placed in seed trays or plant pots, lightly covered with soil and kept evenly moist. A foil cover promotes germination. When the first leaves appear, the foil cover can be removed. If the plants have developed sufficiently after a few months,they can be transplanted into larger planters or planted directly outdoors.
❍ Overwintering:
The robust plants are used to harsh weather and also grow at altitudes of more than 3,000 meters. Therefore, our winters are not a challenge for the Olympus Rockflower and the hobby gardener does not have to take any additional precautions to get the plant well over the cold season.
Detect and control pests and diseases
Diseases and pests rarely occur in Olympus rockflowers. The plants are robust and well adapted to our climate. Due to the low demands on soil and nutrients, there are hardly any deficiency symptoms that weaken the plant and make it susceptible to diseases.
An enemy could become waterlogged. The floor should never be too wet. This will attack the roots and could lead to root rot.