Arabis alpina

RHS Plant Profile

mountain rock cress

John Fielding

Alpine Rockery

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A small, mat-forming, evergreen herbaceous perennial, with loose rosettes of obovate, toothed, mid-green leaves and fragrant, white, four-petalled flowers in late spring See Aubrieta, Arabis and Aurinia trial 2024-2026 for further information: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/trials-awards/ongoing-plant-trials/aubretia-arabis-aurinia

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Matforming
Genus: Arabis can be annuals or evergreen perennials, usually mat-forming, with simple leaves and racemes of 4-petalled white, pink or purple flowers.
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well drained soils. Good for ground cover

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer, or by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Ground cover

Pruning

Trim back after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to arabis midge and flea beetles

Diseases

May be susceptible to downy mildews, white blister, and virus diseases