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Perennial of the Saxifragaceae family, belonging to the Ligulatae section. This cultivar selected by the Wisley gardens (RHS) comes from the grisebachii subspecies, endemic to the Balkans, mainly distributed in northern Greece, North Macedonia, and Albania, where the wild plant occupies rocks and limestone cliffs between approximately 1,000 and 2,500 meters.
It forms small low clumps composed of dense rosettes, with spatulate leaves, medium green to gray-green, slightly hairy. The flowering is spectacular and constitutes the most striking feature of this cultivar: upright floral stems, entirely covered with an intense purple-crimson pubescence, bear tubular hanging flowers, of a deep magenta-pink, tightly packed in a terminal unilateral spike. The entire stem, from bracts to sepals, is bathed in this same dark and velvety hue that distinguishes 'Wisley' by the intensity of its color, more pronounced than in the typical subspecies.
In its natural habitat, the subspecies blooms from March to May. In cultivation, this cultivar generally blooms in March-April.
It requires a bright to semi-shade exposure, well-drained soil, preferably limestone, with protection against stagnant winter moisture. Cultivation in a raised rock garden, trough, or wall crevice is perfectly suitable.