Lepidium nanum in the garden

[Kelaidis]

I don't think I've ever published this pic: it's from my old Eudora garden where we successfully grew Lepidium nanum a number of years. I'm always intrigued that people say it has inconspicuous or unattractive flowers. I think it's cute! Alas, this is as well as I've done with it. I would like to try it again, only in one of my dryland troughs where I do much better with these little morsels..

[Hoy]

I would never say that! I am sorry I can't grow more of the typical rock garden gems. You do tempt me!

[Hugh MacMillan]

After a few failed attempts, I now have a nice L. nanum in a dry trough with a few Eriogonum.  Bob Nold had suggested trying from seed, but this one is a plant purchased from Agua Fria Nursery.  The only problem I have had thus far is that the deer have nibbled it a bit.

[Kelaidis]

Gawd, Hugh: your deer have GOT to be awfully hungry to browse Lepidium!

I almost feel sorry for them.

[Hatchett]

L. nanum  is a favorite of mine tho vexing at times. After five or six years mine start to really look like something then it seems they become decadent and rot off. i think my best plant lasted ten years or so then died in two weeks. The flowers are unremarkable by themselves but when crowded together so tight they seem to completely cloak the plant they are something better. I think keeping them dry dry dry in poor soil is the trick, if i had another lifetime i would know for sure.
Jim Hatchett

[Hugh MacMillan]

I think keeping them dry dry dry in poor soil is the trick, if i had another lifetime i would know for sure.

I tend to agree with you Jim, given my experience.  My current, and only successful attempt has my subject in a trough, very dry with a few choice Eriogonums and and kept very dry in a calcareous 'soil' from the Beaver Divide hoodoos.  The trough is has been covered by several feet of snow several times in the last three years, but the snow melts quickly.