Rhodiola integrifolia

[Lori S.]

Rhodiola integrifolia is a beautiful and perhaps somewhat underappreciated hardy succulent.  
Here's the native range from the USDA Plants site (scroll down to see that of the subspecies):
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RHIN11

The subspecies that occurs here is R. integrifolia ssp. integrifolia and it's common in habitat on alpine ridges and scree, both wet and dry.  
1) I see plants with entire leaves most often in the areas where we hike.
2) Here's a little colony of toothed-leaved plants in the same area as above.
3) And a "rare" (according to Flora of Alberta) yellow-flowered form in the same area again.
4, 5) As part of little alpine gardens in the wild.  (Wish I could pick these up and take them home!)
6) Showing brilliant colour after a frost.

[RickR]

That fall color sure is striking!
Would it be safe to say that all Rhodiola spp. have pink/red/maroon fall color(not yellow)?

[Lori S.]

I haven't grown enough Rhodiola species to say much about it, but if I recall correctly, Rhodiola rosea/Sedum roseum has yellow fall colour.  I don't seem to have any photos of it in fall though.

In fall or in summers with hard frosts, R. integrifolia certainly adds colour to the alpine area.

[Hoy]

It is a nice plant, Lori!
Here the common "rosenrot " (Rhodiola rosea) often gets red fall colors but yellow and orange colors occur as well.

[Lori S.]

Very nice, Trond!  Yeah, I was basing my observation on only my one plant, which is clearly not too representative.

[McDonough]

Lori, the deep flower color on your R. integrifolia photos show a first class rock plant.  Looking at Calphotos and other images of R. integrifolia, I think the ones you show are very good forms.  Both your autumn photo, and Trond's photos, show how good the fall foliar color is too.  I always learn something when I see these postings, particularly those with links that tempt me to venture outside the post

I see from the USDA Plant Profile link provided, there are 4 subspecies, 3 with restricted distribution in the USA; ssp. leedyi with disjunct distribution in Minnesota and New York, ssp. neomexicana from New Mexico (makes sense), and ssp. procera from Colorado & New Mexico.  I'd like to know the differences between the subspecies, but as the Flora of North America does not yet cover Crassulaceae (that I'm aware of), I'd like to find another reference or key to the subspecies.  Rick, have you ever come across ssp. leedyi in your Minnesota travels?

[RickR]

In Minnesota, leedyi is on our endangered list, and it grows only in one specific place in Whitewater State Park.  It's on a slope, and above it is a  very deep opening (a crack? maybe a tiny cave? I haven't seen it) in the limestone bedrock from which a constant flow of cold air flows, and bathes the flora below all season long.  Its a rather rare microclimate for our region, and as you might expect, the plant community that grows there encompasses species that normally would not grow this far south.  I have never felt the "need" to seek this place out, although it is fairly well known in botany circles here, and the site itself is not secret, but I assumed is fenced off.

Whitewater state park is along the Mississippi River, and about 3/4 the way to Iowa from Minneapolis, south of (the city) Winona, in the very southeastern part of the state.  It is known for its fantastic display of ephemeral wildflowers, as well as the species of special note that grow on that particular slope.

[Lori S.]

Very interesting, Rick.  

(Also, another thought to pursue, here or in another thread... what are the ephemeral wildflowers that grow there?)

[Hoy]

Mark, here you have some links to "rosenrot"!

http://www.rolv.no/bilder/galleri/medplant/rhod_ros.htm
http://www.rolv.no/urtemedisin/artikler/rhodi_ro/art1.htm
http://www.rolv.no/urtemedisin/artikler/rhodi_ro/art1.htm
http://www.markblomster.com/Markblomster/Flora/R/Rosenrot.html

You know, "rosenrot" is an important medicine plant!

[McDonough]

Great links there Trond even just for the photos, the view of nursery fields shown in the first link are amazing

[Weiser]

Nice!

Here is the Flora of North America link.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250092043

At what elevations are you finding this growing Lori. It is supposed to be native in my area, I assume at higher elevations. If I have ran across it, I was not aware of it. But I will be keeping my eyes open for it from now on.

[McDonough]

Here is the Flora of North America link.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250092043

Thanks John... I wonder why most times the USDA Plant Profile pages include links to the Flora of North America pages when they exist, but it occasionally they miss adding the links, so I just assumed that part of the Flora wasn't published yet.  Interesting discussion on that FONA page putting into context the relationship between R. integrifolia, its subspecies, and R. rosea.

[Lori S.]

John, it is an alpine here and tree line is at about 2100-2200m or so.  

[Weiser]

Lori
That would put it at 8000'< (2500 meters) around here. That narrows the search down a little.
Thanks!

[Todd Boland]

Lori, doesn't R. rosea grow in the Rockies too?  I have pictures of what i thought was rosea but perhaps it was integrifolia.  R. rosea is not that common in eastern newfoundland but is downright abundant in western-northern areas where it generally grows kissed by the ocean spray.  I have several in my garden...indespensible alpine in my opinion.