Scutellaria tournefortii
Height x Spread: 25cm x 15cm
Like other members of this genus, the common name 'skullcap' does nothing to convey the dainty elegance of this alpine with its slender stems of elongated white flowers each tipped with violet, that modestly sit above clumps of fresh green foliage.
Native to the arid mountainous region between S.E. Turkey and N.E. Iran, this ankle-high gem is an obvious shoo-in for a rock garden or alpine trough but would be equally at home in a gravel garden, flowering like a trouper from mid to late summer. It does self-seed but unwanted seedlings are easy to remove by gently pulling. It prefers full sun and a well drained soil but can tolerate very light shade too.