A Ground Cover of Flowers
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Common Name: aubretia, purple rock cress
Botanical Name: Aubrieta deltoidea Form: prostrate, low spreading Family: Brassiceae (mustard family) Genus: Aubrieta Species: deltoidea Plant Type: evergreen, herbaceous perennial Mature Size: 2 foot spread, ground hugging Growth: fast Origin: Southern Europe to central Asia Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9 Foliage: evergreen, green oval shaped often lobed Flowers: pink, violet or white flowers with four petals Fruit: hairy 2 cm silique (a long capsule that splits open) Exposure: fun sun, light shade Soil: light, well-drained soil, pH tolerant, drought tolerant once established Uses: ground cover, rockery, container, window boxes, foundation plantings, spring bulb plantings, plant borders Propagation: seeds, plant divisions Pruning: deadhead with some scissors right after flowering so they will re-flower, cut back scraggly plants by 1/3rd after flowering Problems: doesn’t like soggy soil and needs sun to flower well Cultivars: Red Cascade’, ‘Royal Blue’, white ‘Purity’ or violet ‘Doctor Mules’. Comments: A ground hugging mat that smothers the ground and looks good even when it is not in flower. This non-invasive, easy care groundcover also looks great spilling over planter rims and oozing over retaining walls and cascading rockeries. A great plant for bees as they love the masses of flowers. |