Nice pic. They look great and I especially like the yellow one for some reason. The red lava rock works well there too. Everyone scoffs at red lava rock, but I don't care; I like it and I may just have to use it all over the place in my new garden. Although I'd prefer black if I could find it.

I've been given the impression the red is black with paint on it.

...and it took forever to paint all those tiny black rocks red. I use the red lava here and there in various sizes. It shouldn't be scoffed at, especially when used for rock garden plants.

Ian, if you're referring to the orangy-yellow one in the background, it has an excellent stem/bloom habit. I donated a large start of this recently to a local plant sale. The pale yellow one in the foreground is nice also.

Firerocks.biz has three colors, including red, mentions concerns about painting - says its all natural. The red sold here even leaves red on the inside of the back, as though paint were coming off.

Now you've got me hooked on their "chocolate" lava rock.

Lovely little plant. I've had one for a few years but it was in a pot with not enough drainage. Last winter, I kept it in my cold greenhouse just so that it didn't get too wet. It wsn't looking too happy -- all of the flower stems were short, so I tugged it out of the pot and planted it in a place atop a wall where there is very good drainage. Within a few days, the flower stems stretched out and the flowers are now pink! I have a two-toned Lewisia.

Here is a link that might be useful:

That reminds me of the plant's history, a specimen sent back east from Idaho by Meriwether Lewis circa 1805 revived some months later when a botanist put it in some water.

Hence the scientific name Lewisia rediviva.

L. rediviva, or bitterroot, is a nice plant, but the Lewisias pictured in this thread are L. cotyledon.

Here is a link that might be useful: my favorite Lewisia

btw Larry Gene, your headline is SO apt! They do look like they belong in a childrens' storybook.

I've got an orange one - my favorite flower color - in full bloom right now. Lewisias make great container plants, especially when combined with sedums or other succulents, which also appreciate very sharp drainage.

Those are lovely!

Mine didn't make it through the winter, I assume because the drainage wasn't good enough. They were ten years old. :(

I was speaking in general, but yes, the pictured plants are hybrids, originally from Rare Plant Research.

Thanks Dotty, crayons were the first thing that came to mind.

buyorsell (or any PDX-local member, if you would like a free new plant or two, try to email me via my forum "my page" link, it has worked in the past. Some of these plants shouldn't be put in the ground until 2010, but any could be repotted:

You have to keep damp and debris out of the rosettes or they are liable to rot out.

This past autumn/winter, I put several of those white woven landscape material bags over the Lewisias, deflecting much of the rain and overhead debris.