Lithodora diffusa 'Grace Ward'

RHS Plant Profile

purple gromwell 'Grace Ward'

Other common names

gromwell 'Grace Ward'

Synonyms

Lithospermum 'Grace Ward'
Lithodora diffusa 'Grace Ward'
Lithospermum prostratum 'Grace Ward'

Alpine Rockery Shrubs

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A low-growing or prostrate evergreen shrub forming a wide mat, to 15cm tall, with small, oblong, coarsely hairy leaves, and star-shaped, intense deep blue flowers 15mm wide in late spring and summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

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

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–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): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Boraginaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Matforming
Genus: A genus of flowering, evergreen, shrubby plants from borage family. They are cultivated for their five-lobed, funnel-shaped, blue or white flowers produced in cymes in summer. Leaves are linear, lance-shaped or elliptic, densely hairy
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Excellent for an open, sunny position with an acidic soil in a rock garden or raised bed

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Rock garden
Patio and container plants

Pruning

Pruning group 8

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free