About Androsace vitaliana (L.) Lapeyr.
Androsace vitaliana (L.) Lapeyr. is a cushion- or mat-forming plant that can grow to 15 cm (6 inches) or more across. Its leaves grow in rosettes; individual leaves are 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 inches) long and typically greyish green. The bright yellow flowers are usually unstalked (sessile) and are borne singly at the ends of leaf rosettes. Each flower has a tube that measures around 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 inches) or longer, with five lobes that open to 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 inches) across when fully expanded. Like species in the genus Primula, Androsace vitaliana has heterostylous flowers, meaning it produces both pin and thrum forms.
Androsace vitaliana is native to high mountains of Europe, occurring in Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, and a small portion of Austria. It most often grows at elevations above 2,000 m (6,600 ft), where it can be found on screes, on rocks, and in stony meadows.
This species is cultivated for use in alpine gardens. It is considered easy to grow in well-drained, fertile soil in a sunny location. It can be propagated easily by removing rosettes with attached roots from an existing plant in late summer, then growing the rosettes on to establish new plants.
