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 alliacea – Armeria arenaria – Armeria plantaginea – This robust clump forming perennial from the mountains of Western Europe grows 18” tall and in breadth.  They produce tufts of long soft flat inversely lance-shaped to linear deep green 6” leaves.  In summer it bears numerous bright reddish purple flower heads ¾” wide on wiry stems.

Zones 6-8