Sea Thrift (Armeria Maritima) : How to Grow & Care
Today, we will talk about one of the most beautiful plants you can grow in your garden: Sea Thrift, also known as Armeria Maritima. Don’t worry; if you decide to grow this plant in your garden, you will find all the answers to your questions in this entry. In addition, we will provide you with information about what this plant is and how you can grow and care for it.
What is Sea Thrift (Armeria Maritima)?
Armeria maritima is an herbaceous perennial which falls under the sea lavender family (Plumbaginaceae). It is native to the northern hemisphere’s mountains and temperate coastal areas, particularly northern Europe, from northern California to Iceland to Siberia. Several geographical subspecies differ primarily in flower morphology and pollen structure. It is frequently found in salty coastal environments where few other plants thrive. It is hardy in zones 4 to 8 and known as common thrift or sea pink.
This compact evergreen plant grows only 6 to 12 inches high and across from a woody tap root. The slowly growing mounded tuft comprises numerous stiff, linear (needle-shaped), dark-green leaves with hairs along the margins. This dense rosette resembles a low-growing ornamental grass. The leaves tend to fall outwards in richer soils, leaving an open center. Because it is evergreen, it should not be cut back to the ground in the fall, as this will affect spring bloom.
How to Grow and Care Sea Thrift (Armeria Maritima)?
Armeria maritime thrives in full sunlight and well-drained soil. It is salt and drought tolerant, but it will die if the soil is kept too wet. They have a reputation for being a short-lived plant due to their ease of overwatering. But, as long as you keep the plant dry, it will bloom and live for many years without much care. This Armeria species grows well in rock gardens where water can naturally drain.
Sea thrifts are easily grown from seeds, but it usually takes a year for the plant to bloom and display its beautiful pink and purple petals. Because it is a perennial, it will return year after year with little care from the owner.
The plant is also virtually pest and disease-free, making it ideal for edging, coastal gardens, or borders. If you start from seed, you should plant Armeria Maritima in late spring or early fall. It will need to survive the winter before sprouting in the spring. During the summer, it can also be planted from a cutting.
Conclusion
In this entry, we tried to provide you with the basics of caring for a sea thrift plant. Even if it takes some time to fully bloom, sea thrift is one of the best plants you can choose to grow, especially if you have a rock garden. As mentioned above, caring for it is not that troublesome as long as you keep the plant dry. We hope this entry was helpful for you to understand the basics of the sea thrift plant.
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