Growli
Let's go

Plant care

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine (Pyrenean Androsace) care

Androsace pyrenaica

Also called Pyrenean Rock Jasmine, Pyrenean Androsace.

RHS H5USDA 5-8Mildly toxic to petsIndoor Up to 10 cm tall and 5–10 cm across.

Watering rhythm

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Low — water from below and keep dry in winter

Jump to schedule→Get smart reminders in the app

Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Loam, sand, and chalk or grit mix; well-drained

Humidity

Low (20–40% RH)

Temp

-20 to 18°C

Pet safety

Mildly toxic to pets

Mature size

Up to 10 cm tall and 5–10 cm across.

Care at a glance

Light

Most houseplants will scorch where pyrenean rock jasmine thrives. Give it the windowsill you'd otherwise leave empty because everything else burned there. Full sun with an east-, south-, or west-facing aspect is essential; shaded or north-facing sites result in etiolated, non-flowering cushions prone to fungal disease. A plant moved abruptly from low light to direct sun bleaches in 48 hours — always acclimatise over a week.

Watering

Aim for low — water from below and keep dry in winter for pyrenean rock jasmine, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Never water overhead onto the foliage; water at the base from spring to early autumn, allowing the soil surface to dry between applications; cease watering almost entirely from late autumn through winter.

Soil and pot

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine grows best in loam, sand, and chalk or grit mix; well-drained. Accepts a range of pH including slightly alkaline; the key requirement is impeccable drainage — a mix of loam, coarse grit, and crushed limestone (for calcareous-origin plants) or granite chips works well. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine sits happiest at around Low (20–40% RH) humidity and -20 to 18°C (-4 to 64°F). Like all high-alpine Androsace, it is very susceptible to fungal problems in humid, stagnant air; good ventilation and a sheltered but airy position are essential for success. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed pyrenean rock jasmine sparingly. Minimal fertilising; at most a very light application of dilute, low-nitrogen fertiliser in spring — this species is adapted to nutrient-poor mountain substrates. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on pyrenean rock jasmine in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Fungal crown rot in wet winters — By far the most common problem; persistent rain on the cushion in cold conditions triggers rapid Botrytis or collar rot — protect with a pane of glass over the trough from October to April, or move to an alpine house.
  • Aphid infestation under glass — Root and shoot aphids can colonise cushions in the warm, sheltered conditions of an alpine house; inspect roots at repotting and treat with an appropriate insecticide, ensuring the cushion surface stays dry during treatment.

Propagation

Sow seed in autumn in a gritty, peat-free mix in a cold frame; cold stratification over winter aids germination. Single rosettes can be rooted as cuttings in early summer, though this species is considered more difficult than most Androsace and success rates are variable. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine is mildly toxic to pets. Androsace pyrenaica and the genus Androsace (Primulaceae) do not appear on the ASPCA Toxic or Non-Toxic Plant database. No documented toxic principles are known, but in the absence of authoritative ASPCA data the species is classified as mildly-toxic as a precaution. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Androsace pyrenaica?

Androsace pyrenaica is most commonly called Pyrenean Rock Jasmine, but it is also known as Pyrenean Rock Jasmine, Pyrenean Androsace. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Pyrenean Rock Jasmine apply identically to anything sold as Pyrenean Androsace.

How much light does pyrenean rock jasmine need?

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Full sun with an east-, south-, or west-facing aspect is essential; shaded or north-facing sites result in etiolated, non-flowering cushions prone to fungal disease.

How often should I water pyrenean rock jasmine?

Water pyrenean rock jasmine low — water from below and keep dry in winter. Never water overhead onto the foliage; water at the base from spring to early autumn, allowing the soil surface to dry between applications; cease watering almost entirely from late autumn through winter. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is pyrenean rock jasmine toxic to cats and dogs?

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine is mildly toxic to pets. Androsace pyrenaica and the genus Androsace (Primulaceae) do not appear on the ASPCA Toxic or Non-Toxic Plant database. No documented toxic principles are known, but in the absence of authoritative ASPCA data the species is classified as mildly-toxic as a precaution.

What USDA hardiness zone does pyrenean rock jasmine grow in?

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine is rated for USDA zone 5-8 and RHS hardiness H5. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine deep-dive guides

Every aspect of pyrenean rock jasmine care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Pyrenean Rock Jasmine is also commonly called Pyrenean Rock Jasmine or Pyrenean Androsace.