Draba ramosissima

Draba is the largest genus of plants in the Brassicaceae (crucifer/cabbage family), but it's a genus I'd given up growing in our hot, humid summers until I stumbled upon Draba ramosissima. As it turns out, Draba ramosissima is native to the Appalachian mountains (TN, KY, MD, NC, VA, and WV), where it's found on limestone cliffs and associated shale barrens up to 3,500' elevation. In the garden, Draba ramosissima makes a tiny 2" tall x 8" wide evergreen branched bun of dark green foliage, topped in mid-April with 4" tall spikes of tiny flowers...perfect in rock gardens as well as fairy gardens, but good drainage is a necessity!