Lewisia 'Little Tutti Frutti'

Lewisia 'Little Tutti Frutti': Lucky-Dip Colours in Starry Rosettes

'Little Tutti Frutti' is the mystery flavour of the rock garden. White, pink, magenta, plum, peach, orange or yellow, and you don't find out which until it blooms. IT'S A SURPRISE PARTY IN A POT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Lewisia longipetala hybrid 'Little Tutti Frutti' (colour mix)
• Common Name: Cliff Maids, Lewisia
• Height: 15 cm (6 in) in flower
• Spread: 20–25 cm (8–10 in)
• Flowers: Star-shaped, in a mix of white, pink, magenta, plum, peach, orange and yellow. Each plant has its own colour.
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June), reblooming in September
• Foliage: Narrow, fleshy, dark green leaves in a low rosette

Where to Plant: A mix like this is made for drifts, so scatter plants through a rock garden, along the top of a dry stone wall, or across a gravel bed and let the colours fall where they may. It's also cheerful in troughs and wide, shallow containers on a sunny patio.

Companion Plants: Give 'Little Tutti Frutti' a sunny rock garden or gravel bed with pinks, dark pink sedum and carmine coneflowers. Sedum SunSparkler® 'Cherry Tart' adds dark pink flowers at 10 to 15 cm in August and September. Dianthus Fruit Punch® 'Spiked Punch' brings bright pinks at 15 to 20 cm from June to September. Echinacea 'Ruby Star' adds carmine-pink coneflowers at 90 to 100 cm from July to September. Bouteloua gracilis adds blue grama grass at 30 to 60 cm.

Plant Care: Plant in gritty, very well-drained soil and keep the crown slightly high. Heavy clay is a no-go, so build a raised, rocky bed or use containers with a gritty mix. Mulch around each rosette with gravel to keep the crown dry. Water until plants are established, then only in long dry spells. They may slow down in midsummer heat. Trim off spent flower stems after the spring show to tidy them and encourage the September flowers. Winter wet is the main risk in our climate, especially in a slow spring thaw. Sloped and vertical spots help a lot.

History: 'Little Tutti Frutti' is a colour mixture from Jelitto Perennial Seeds in Germany, drawn from its Little Series of Lewisia longipetala hybrids. The wild lewisias behind them come from rocky mountain habitats in California and Oregon, and the genus is named for explorer Meriwether Lewis.

Final Thoughts: Buy a few and play the colour lottery. Worst case, you still win. EVERY TICKET PAYS OUT.