perennial

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress

Aethionema schistosum

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Fragrant Persian Stone Cress (Aethionema schistosum) at Lurvey Garden Center

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress flowers

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  6 inches

Flower Height:  8 inches

Spread:  18 inches

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  4

Other Names:  Persian Rockcress, Turkish Stonecress

Description:

A charming evergreen groundcover plant with volumes of fragrant pink-violet blooms starting in spring and continuing into the summer; lovely along dappled borders

Ornamental Features

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress is blanketed in stunning clusters of fragrant shell pink star-shaped flowers with violet overtones rising above the foliage in early spring. Its narrow leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Self-Seeding

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Fragrant Persian Stone Cress is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Garden  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Texture 
Ornamental Features