Repotting guide

When & how to repot Alpine Liverwort (Erinus alpinus)

Also called Alpine liverwort, Fairy foxglove, Alpine balsam, Liver balsam.

More about alpine liverwort

About Alpine Liverwort

Erinus alpinus · also called Alpine liverwort, Fairy foxglove · flowering

Erinus alpinus is a semi-evergreen, rosette-forming alpine perennial native to mountain regions of southwestern Europe and North Africa, from the Pyrenees to the Atlas Mountains, where it colonises rock faces, old walls, and scree. Despite its common name 'fairy foxglove', it belongs to the family Plantaginaceae, not Scrophulariaceae. It produces abundant small, star-shaped flowers in pink, purple, or white over the rosettes from late spring to early summer and self-seeds freely into crevices. The plant is short-lived, typically three to five years, but perpetuates itself readily from seed. Erinus alpinus is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats or dogs.

Mature size: 8–15 cm tall; individual rosettes 5–8 cm wide; colonies spread as plants self-seed.

How to tell alpine liverwort needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For alpine liverwort, watch for these signs:

Roots growing out of the drainage holes, or the rootball lifting the plant proud of the rim.
Soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides and no longer holds water.
The pot is unstable because the plant has grown top-heavy.
Old, compacted, broken-down mix that stays wet too long — for a succulent that is a rot risk, so refresh it even if the pot size is fine.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot alpine liverwort

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Alpine Liverwort's growth habit — semi-evergreen perennial forming small basal rosettes with spreading, self-seeding colonies over time. — sets the pace. Erinus alpinus is a semi-evergreen, rosette-forming alpine perennial native to mountain regions of southwestern Europe and North Africa, from the Pyrenees to the Atlas Mountains, where it colonises rock faces, old walls, and scree. Despite its common name 'fairy foxglove', it belongs to the family Plantaginaceae, not Scrophulariaceae. It produces abundant small, star-shaped flowers in pink, purple, or white over the rosettes from late spring to early summer and self-seeds freely into crevices. The plant is short-lived, typically three to five years, but perpetuates itself readily from seed. Erinus alpinus is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats or dogs.

What size pot to step alpine liverwort up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Alpine Liverwort stores water and rots in a large pot of slow-drying soil. A tight terracotta pot that dries fast is far safer than a generous plastic one. Never up-pot a succulent by several sizes.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot alpine liverwort

Spring or summer, while alpine liverwort is in active growth and warm, is best — roots recover fastest then, and the plant is not sitting in cool damp soil. Avoid repotting a succulent in winter dormancy.

Step-by-step: repotting alpine liverwort

Repot dry. Do not water alpine liverwort for several days first. Working with dry roots and dry mix dramatically lowers the rot risk for a succulent.
Pick a snug, fast-draining pot. Choose terracotta one size up at most, with a drainage hole. Have gritty well-drained; chalk, loam, or sand; tolerates acid to alkaline ph ready.
Tip it out and clean the roots. Slide the plant out, crumble off the old soil, and trim any black, mushy or dead roots with clean snips.
Pot into dry mix. Set alpine liverwort at its original depth in dry gritty mix, firming gently. Do not bury the stem deeper than it was.
Wait a week before watering. Leave it completely dry and out of harsh sun for about 7 days so any damaged roots callus. Only then water lightly.

Aftercare

Keep alpine liverwort completely dry and out of fierce sun for about a week so any nicked roots callus before they meet moisture; watering a freshly repotted succulent is the classic way to rot it. Then resume the normal lean, dry rhythm. Do not fertilise for about 3 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for alpine liverwort

Alpine Liverwort wants well-drained; chalk, loam, or sand; tolerates acid to alkaline ph. Grows naturally in rock crevices with minimal soil; a gritty, low-fertility mix suits it well, and it self-seeds readily into mortared walls and between paving. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting alpine liverwort — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot alpine liverwort?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for alpine liverwort. Repot alpine liverwort every 2–3 years into a snug pot of well-drained; chalk, loam, or sand; tolerates acid to alkaline ph, ideally in spring or summer. Let it sit in dry soil and do not water for about a week afterwards so any nicked roots can callus. Over-potting and watering straight away is what rots succulents.

What size pot does alpine liverwort need?

When is the best time of year to repot alpine liverwort?

Should you water alpine liverwort after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot alpine liverwort into dry mix and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots callus over. Watering a freshly repotted succulent is the single most common way to rot one.

Should you fertilise alpine liverwort after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 3 weeks after repotting alpine liverwort. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.