Quackin Grass Nursery

Dryas octopetala – Eight-petal Mountain Avens or White Mountain Avens is a renowned mat forming rock garden candidate. Pretty and showy white flowers with a yellow central boss of stamens and pistil composed of 8 petals rise on brown-purple wiry stems covered with fine hairs. Dark green scalloped leaves only a few inches deep expand into dense mats. Leaf undersides are silvery. Though considered a rock garden plant it will certainly be happy in the front of the border or as an edger. And speaking of happy, I have a fond memory of stumbling upon this exceptional plant in flower growing out of crevices in a domed rock expanse in The Burn on the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland. Interestingly, it was in September and the plants were still sending up flowers. Exposure requires full to half sun siting. Plant in average, sandy to scrabbled conditions that drain well. Some consider this a sub-shrub rather than a perennial. As much as we humans attempt to box plants into cut and dry categories there are always exceptions. We grew a specimen for many years in a trough; it cascaded over the sides, flowered like there was no tomorrow and always pulled at our heartstrings. From seed or stem cuttings.