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Alpine Rockery

Aethionema capitatum

Turkish stone cress

A semi-evergreen sub-shrub to 15cm in height, forming a compact mound of upright stems with small, narrow, blue-green orgrey-green leaves. Flowers pale lilac-pink, in terminal clusters in late spring and early summer

Other common names

Turkish candytuft

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

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)

Botanical details

Family: Brassicaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Aethionema can be annuals, evergreen perennials or sub-shrubs, with racemes of small pink or white flowers held above neat foliage
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Lebanon, Syria, Turkey

How to grow

Cultivation

Grows best in well-drained, alkaline soil but will tolerate poor, acid soils

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by softwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Rock garden

Pruning

Deadhead after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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