Aubrieta deltoidea

RHS Plant Profile
blue kisses

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Other common names

rock cress

Synonyms

Aubrieta intermedia

Plants for pollinators
Alpine Rockery

A slowly spreading, mat-forming, evergreen perennial to about 10cm high, with small, hairy, grey-green leaves. Pale to mid mauve-purple, four-petalled flowers are produced in short spikes from mid-spring to early summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Up to 10 cm

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
Up to 10 cm

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–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

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Matforming
Genus
Aubrieta are mat-forming evergreen perennials with small leaves and short racemes of 4-petalled flowers in shades of pink and purple in spring
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Balkans

How to Grow

Cultivation

Best grown in well-drained soil in full sun but can tolerate light shade; an ideal plant for dry areas such as chalky slopes and on walls. Being hardy it is a useful container plant for spring colour

Propagation

Propagate by seed, softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Coastal
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Rock garden
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back after flowering to maintain compactness

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, leaf and bud eelworms and flea beetles.

Diseases

May be susceptible to white blister