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Chionohebe

Chionohebe which was formerly known as Pygmea is a small genus of 6 New Zealand species. One additional species is probably a hybrid. All except one form tight cushions with tiny white flowers. The centre of the flowers contain two purple anthers which stand out well against the white. The hairy leafed species are reasonably difficult to grow, where as the less hairy leafed species seem easy enough. All prefer a cool climate and do not like getting there leaves wet in winter. They are perfect for the alpine house however.

Identification can be difficult with all the flowers being similar and only the position of hairs on the leaves being diagnostic. Steve Newel has an identification method which was probably not serious but knowing him just might be. Basically it involved punching the cushions! If your fist sinks up to your elbow then it was probably the softest C. pulvinaris if your fist bounced off the cushion in the process knocking you in the head, leaving you unconscious then it was the hardest C. thomsonii. I forget some of the other tests he told me but I would recommend a hand lens as being more practical. Location is also a good indicator.  Seed is contained in a dry capsule which closes when the cushions are dry only opening when it rains. This means that the poor seed collector has to go around watering the cushions to see if the capsules contain seed. Luckily water seems never to be in short supply where the plants grow.

The hybrid I mentioned earlier is known as C. armstrongii and occurs between C. densifolia formerly Pygmea tetragona and C. thomsonii. It gains the nice colour and texture of densifolia as well as its large pink tinged flowers, even better it has thomsonii type cushion form except a bit looser. All and all it is the best Chionohebe and seems possible enough to grow so far. It is rare in nature though. Another hybrid combination is between the green hairless C. glabra and C. thomsonii. I am told that it grows in the transition areas between the deep snow banks where glabra occurs and the more exposed areas where thomsonii grows. I have not seen this though but will be on the look out for it in the future. Chionohebe are well worth the effort in my opinion. I would love to hear from any one that has tried growing these plants especially if they have any clues on how best to succeed with them. In the west C. ciliolata grows with C. thomsonii in Central Otago along with C. myosotiodies and C. glabra, C. pulvinaris is in the East from Canterbury North.