Armeria maritima Düsseldorfer Stolz - Sea Thrift

Armeria maritima 'Düsseldorfer Stolz' is a German selection of Sea Thrift with very bright pink pompom flowers. It is a small evergreen perennial plant that is really easy to grow. It forms a blue-green cushion that is adorned for a long period with small reddish-pink flowers that can be seen from afar. It is sometimes known to have a repeat flowering habit. Adapted to sandy coastal areas, it can withstand wind, drought, and cold. Easy to cultivate, its only requirement is to be planted in well-drained soil in full sun.

Sea Thrift 'Düsseldorfer Stolz' belongs to the family of Plumbaginaceae. It is one of the many cultivars of Armeria maritima, native to mountains and coasts of the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe. This robust perennial, with a clump-forming habit, resembles a grass, earning it the nickname "Spanish Grass". It will reach a height of 30 cm (12in) when in flower, 15 cm (6in) for the foliage, with a spreading of 30 cm (12in) and more over time. This variety forms a compact and dense clump. The remarkably long flowering period begins in May and only ends in August. There is sometimes a second flowering in late summer. The flowers are a vivid and particularly bright pink to red, clustered in dense round heads at the top of long rigid stems. The foliage, evergreen and anchored on the ramified stump, has a very vibrant blue-green colour that is still visible in winter. It resembles grasses in its delicacy.

The Sea Thrift thrives in well-drained soil and full sun. It is not afraid of sea spray. It will fulfill its role as ground cover in rockeries or borders. It can be associated with other perennials that require the same growing conditions such as carnations (classic but unbeatable for this purpose), as well as other small cushion-forming plants like woolly artemisia, heart-leaved globe daisies, creeping baby's breath, everlasting Helichrysum angustifolium, snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum), or fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus). It can also be planted in an alpine garden or in pots, containers, and flower boxes.