Description

Armeria – Sea Pink – Thrift

There are about 80 species of tufted or cushion forming evergreen perennials or sub shrubs, in this genus.  They are found widely distributed from salt marshes, and storm swept headlands of seashores to alpine meadow in Europe, Turkey, North Africa, and the Pacific coast of North and South America.  They produce rosettes of linear to strap shaped leaves.  In early summer it bears compact spherical heads of small, saucer or cup shaped flowers on each of the slender stems.  Great for rock gardens or for front of a border. Grow these frost hardy plants in well-drained poor to moderately fertile dry soil in an open site in full sun.  Divide in early spring. Prone to rust, Southern Blight, spider mites, and aphids. Armeria juniperifolia – Armeria caespitosa – This dwarf cushion forming sub shrub from mountain pastures or rock crevices in Central Spain grows 2-3” high and spreads to about 6” wide.  It produces rosettes of linear hairy spine tipped gray green leaves to ½” long.  In late spring it bears purplish pink to pale pink flower to ½” wide are borne on short stems to ½-3/4” long. Zones 5-8