Erinus alpinus | |
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Erinus alpinus | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Plantaginaceae |
Genus: | Erinus |
Species: | E. alpinus |
Binomial name | |
Erinus alpinus L. |
Erinus alpinus (fairy foxglove,starflower, alpine balsam,liver balsam) is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, native to Central and Southern Europe.
It is a semi-evergreen perennial, with 10 cm (4 in) stems of narrow blue-green leaves and clusters of rose-pink flowers at the tips in spring and summer. It is popularly grown in rockeries or alpine gardens; and it occasionally becomes naturalised outside of its native range, especially on old stone walls, shown well from a well-known location for this species on the old packhorse bridge at Carrbridge in the Highlands of Scotland
It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.