Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Gypsophila aretioides

Gypsophila aretioides is one of those cushiony plants I love, but I'm smart enough to know I probably wouldn't have success with. Why? How about this description from the Missouri Botanical Garden: "Easily grown in somewhat dry, sandy-gritty, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers alkaline soils (pH7.0 to 7.5). Add lime to acidic soils. Soils must have good drainage. Plants may not survive winter in wet, poorly drained soils. Likes to be left undisturbed once established."

I love that they start off with the word "easy," but then go on to a long list of very specific requirements. Easy for who? Certainly not someone with a winter-wet climate and clay soil, like me.

Other desciptions I read online all reference it's dense, hard feel: "The stems and tiny narrow, grey-green leaves are so closely packed that the plant feels hard to the touch." (source) and "Forms hard creeping cushions with very tiny foliage." (source) and "Gypsophila aretioides is a half-hardy alpine plant, ideal for growing in containers and rockeries, where its closely packed stems and leaves form an almost impenetrable carpet." (source)

Of course all those descriptions only make me want it even more...


Weather Diary, June 17: Hi 81, Low 58/ Precip none

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

23 comments:

  1. I'm like you, have wanted this for ages but not brave enough to try it as I suspect I would just kill it. 2I understand never letting it totally dry out is suppose to be one important fun aspect, while not keeping it too wet.

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    1. I saw it again while touring Denver gardens last weekend for the GB Fling. So tempting...

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  2. The listing says it’s hardy in zones 5-9, so why not grow it in a pot?

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    1. I thought the same. It could spend the winter in the SP. Go for it, Loree!

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    2. Steve and Eliza you are enablers!!! (and I thank you)

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  3. That's a great plant and hard to believe its a Gypsophila! My plant of choice for sprawling hard blob is Scleranthus uniflorus (Gnarled Cushion). You can't help but bend over to pet/poke it.

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    1. I love Scleranthus uniflorus and have a couple patches just barely hanging on...

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  4. Dissuaded by plant requirements? Unlikely. Danger is your middle name.

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  5. I'd love to try it (our soils are nothing if not alkaline) but I'm afraid the heat might do it in. I'm always leery of plants labeled "alpine."

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    1. It would look so good in your front garden mounds...

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  6. I'm with Steve - bet you could grow it in a container.

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    1. Have you seen how many containers I already have?

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  7. Well, I can offer sandy alkaline soil but it doesn't sound as though it'd like zone 11a. At just 800 or so feet above sea level I probably can't mimic alpine conditions.

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    1. Good point. Not that you're lacking in the cool plant department though.

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  8. Disappointed the MoBot description didn't have the "In St. Louis..." specifics -- they do that for many plants. I take that to mean "don't even think about trying this in St. Louis gardens" .

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    1. Hmmm... perhaps? Maybe it's your responsibility to test it and let the world know?

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  9. A pot or a trough with gritty soil. Out in the sunshine in summer, under the pavilion in winter. What's so hard about that? Ha, ha. :) The even more difficult part is trying to find a nursery that sells it. I love it too.

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    1. I think I may have passed it up at the nursery where I took these photos. What with being hurried and all.

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  10. insearchofsmallthingsJune 18, 2019

    This is amazing! it reminds me of coral

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    1. Yes, now that mention it I see the resemblance.

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  11. Who wouldn't want it once they saw it and now you've made all of us want it!

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