Plants with tuber-like taproot. Flowering leafy shoots 30-60 cm. Leaves 1-4 cm long, linear, entire or rarely dentate. Inflorescence a long, spike-like or nearly capitate (up to 10 cm), compact raceme. Flowers white or pink, with red anthers. V - early spring to mid autumn (in St. Petersburg April to October). Fl - June. Fr - July. Can flower again in autumn (often in September). P - by seed or division. Grows well in sunny places and in shade, with moist soil. Good for the rock garden, plant grouping and the wild garden. Z 4.

Central Asia (Tien Shan, Pamiro Alay). On humid stony soil in alpine and subalpine zones.