London pride

London pride: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, evergreen rosettes forming a mat, about 25 cm tall in flower and 40 cm wide.

Foliage

Leathery and spoon-shaped, with a scalloped edge; dark green and present all year.

Flower

Clouds of tiny pink flowers on slender stems from May to June.

Roots

Shallow, with runners that form new rosettes.

Flowering: May–June · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: June–July

Why grow it?

• Evergreen rosettes that cover the ground all year round.
• Grows well in partial shade and shade, even in dry soil under trees.
• Forms a dense mat that suppresses weeds.
• A light cloud of pink flowers in May–June; bees visit them.
• Very hardy and almost no maintenance: a classic edging plant.

London pride: where does it grow best?

• Partial shade to shade; ideal under trees and along shady paths.
• Sandy, loamy or clay soil, acid to chalky: it is very adaptable.
• Moderately moist; it also tolerates fairly dry soil, but never standing water.
• Allow 30–40 cm per plant; a sheltered spot keeps the foliage looking good.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.25 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Hosta: Large leaves that contrast with the small rosettes.
• Ferns: A fresh, green shade planting.
• Hellebore: Hellebores flower in winter, the saxifrage in spring.
• Barrenwort: Epimedium makes a second ground cover for shade.

London pride: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October, when the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole slightly wider than the roots and mix in some compost or leaf mould.
3. Set the rosette with its crown at soil level; not too deep, or it will rot.
4. Leave 30–40 cm between plants: the runners soon fill the gaps.
5. Water straight away and keep the soil moist in the first year.
6. Spread a thin layer of leaf mould around the plants, keeping the rosettes themselves clear.

Care

Water

In the first year water regularly in dry weather. After that, only in a prolonged dry spell.

Feeding

A thin layer of compost in spring is enough.

Mulching

A thin layer of leaf mould keeps the soil moist; keep the rosettes themselves clear.

Spent flower stems

Cut them off down to the rosette; it looks tidier.

Tidying

In March remove dried or damaged leaves and any leaves that have fallen onto the rosettes.

Tip: Use it as an edging along a shady path. Remove the spent stems and divide the mats every few years.

London pride: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June–July.

When: After flowering, in June–July; tidying of dried leaves in March.

How:

• Cut spent flower stems off down to the rosette.
• In spring, remove dead or damaged leaves.
• If the centre of an old mat is bare, divide it and replant the young rosettes.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or September–October, lift rosettes with roots and replant them elsewhere.

Runners

In May–July, detach young rosettes from the runners and set them in a pot or in their new place.

London pride: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Very hardy, down to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in Belgian winters.
• The evergreen leaves may turn brown in hard frost; they recover in spring.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall and ensure good drainage.

Diseases and pests

• Drought in full sun: Leaf edges turn brown. Water and choose a shadier spot.
• Slugs: They eat young leaves. Collect them in the evening and protect the plants.
• Vine weevil: The grubs eat the roots: plants wilt and come loose. Biological nematodes in the soil help.
• Bare patches in the middle: Old mats become bare. Divide them and replant the rosettes.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Tidy dried leaves.
• April: Plant or divide. Thin layer of compost.
• May: Flowering begins.
• June: In flower. Cut off spent stems.
• July: Cut off stems. Detach runners.
• August: Water in dry weather.
• September: Plant or divide.
• October: Plant. Clear fallen leaves off the rosettes.
• November: Evergreen; nothing to do.
• December: Dormant.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• London pride is a hybrid of Saxifraga spathularis and Saxifraga umbrosa.
• The name Saxifraga comes from the Latin saxum (rock) and frangere (to break), after the place where many species grow in the wild: rock crevices.