Description
This develops very rapidly in the spring and veritably explodes through the soil in April rapidly making growths of 20-50 cm bearing two, downy, divided leaves and anything from a solitary flower to small clusters of soft lavender-pink blooms, dangling on long stalks at the level of the emerging leaves. The flowers are beautiful in the extreme and the plants are both elegant and attractive.
The fleshy stems form small, tight colonies from a much-branched and divided rootstock. If pollination succeeds, then a cluster of white berries will sometimes follow.
Choice and rather special, this is best grown in half-shade in a humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil with good drainage where it makes an excellent companion plant for other “woodsy” plants (light woodland conditions, of part-shade, humid air, leafy soil). Its delicate and elegant appearance belies an easy plant though it is one which appreciates a year or two to settle down, root in and give its best.
