Erinus alpinus

Flower name
Erinus alpinus
Scientific name
Erinus alpinus
Alias岩唐草, fairy foxglove, alpine balsam, liver balsam, starflower, 狐地黄
Place of originthe European Alps and the Pyrenees
Place of floweringGarden, Potted flower
Flowering seasonApril, May, June

What is Erinus alpinus

Erinus alpinus (Common name: Fairy Foxglove, Alpine Balsam, Liver Balsam, Starflower) is a perennial evergreen alpine creeping plant native to the European Alps and the Pyrenees, and belongs to the family Plantaginaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae). It grows naturally on rocky slopes and grasslands in (sub)alpine regions. In Chinese, it is called 狐地黄 (hú dì huáng).
As it grows in high-altitude regions, the plant is small, with a height of 5 to 15 cm.
The leaves are spatula-shaped, 1-1.8 cm long, bluish-green in color, with serrated edges, and arranged alternately.
Between April and June, it produces tubular pink flowers about 0.8 cm in diameter. The flowers are 5-lobed at the tips, with the lobes further divided into two shallow splits, spreading out flat.
Cultivated varieties are available with flowers in pale purple, white, and red.
It is used for rock gardens, alpine gardens, potted plants, and ground cover.

Common name: Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove)
Scientific name: Erinus alpinus
English names: Fairy Foxglove, Alpine Balsam, Liver Balsam, Starflower
Origin: European Alps, Pyrenees Mountains, rocky slopes and grasslands of (sub)alpine regions
Growth habit: Alpine, cold-resistant, evergreen creeping perennial
Classification: Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Lamiales, Plantaginaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae), Genus Erinus, Species Erinus alpinus
Height: 5–15 cm
Leaf length: 1–1.8 cm
Leaf shape: Spatula-shaped
Leaf color: Bluish-green
Leaf margin: Serrated
Leaf arrangement: Alternate
Blooming period: April–June
Flower diameter: 0.8 cm
Flower color: Pink (wild type), pale purple, white, red (cultivated varieties)
Flower form: Tubular flowers with five lobes that split into two shallow lobes and open flat
Uses: Rock gardens, alpine gardens, potted plants, ground cover