Armeria

( arm - MEER - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly referred to as Thrift or Sea Pink, this genus is filled with species of cheery ornamentals that need full sun and little to moderate water to do well in the garden. These perennials will attract butterflies to the landscape, and form compact tufts of evergreen leaves and flowers in pink, rose, red, or white. The main blooming season is from spring to early summer, but deadheading can extend the blooming period. These plants are slow to spread, but will eventually form colonies. Thrifts are great plants for edging walkways or borders and for use in rock gardens, and can also add color to mixed beds, borders and container plantings. Take care when planting these flowers in the landscape, as because they are able to absorb and bind heavy metals from soil, which then makes them toxic to humans and pets if ingested.

Armeria Species and Varietals

The genus Armeria is a member of the plant family Plumbaginaceae and includes just under 25 species. The best growing zones for Armeria depend on the species cultivated. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

​Armeria alpina (Alpine Armeria, Mountain Thrift, Alpen-Grasnelke, Armerie des Alpes, Alptrift)
This species is native to France, Italy, Spain, and the Balkan Peninsula, where it grows in rocky or gravelly areas. The plant forms a basal rosette of about 25 dark green linear leaves and produces magenta-pink flowers from July through August, reaching up to 3-12 inches tall at maturity when in bloom. This species does well in USDA hardiness zones 2-6.

Armeria berlengensis (Berlengas Sea Pink)
This species is native to Portugal, where it grows on rocky island sloped areas. Flowers bloom in April through May, and are small, pale, and pink. The species forms a low shrublet with green foliage that reaches up to 16 inches wide when mature, and is considered to be critically endangered in its native range. Best in USDA zones 9a-11a.

Armeria juniperifolia (Armeria caespitosa) (Juniper-Leaved Thrift, Spanish Thrift)
This species of Armeria grows best in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 or Sunset growing zones 2b-9 and 14-24. Leaves are needle-shaped and form low, compact rosettes from which rose-pink or white flowers sprout on 2-inch stems. Native to mountain ranges, this little bloomer is fussy about drainage, preferring gravel around the base instead of soil to ward off root and stem rot, especially in summertime. Cultivars include 'Bevan's Variety' (with deep pink flowers) and 'Alba' (with white blooms).
Armeria maritima (Armeria vulgaris) (Sea Thrift, Common Thrift)
These flowers grow best in USDA hardiness zones 4-8 or Sunset growing zones A2, A3, 1-9 and 13-24, and are native to Europe and North America. Mounds spread up to 1 foot across and white to rose-pink flowers bloom atop 6-10 inch stems. These plants can flower all year round in mild-weather climates. Subspecies include Armeria maritima californica (California Seapink), Armeria maritima elongata (Tall Thrift), and Armeria maritima sibirica (Siberian Sea Thrift). Cultivars of this species are outlined below:
'Alba'
Classic cultivar with white blooms.
'Bloodstone'
With deep rose-red flowers.
'Cotton Tail'
White blooms on thin green stems.
'Dusseldorf Pride'
With deep pink to wine red flowers and a good repeat bloom.
'Laucheana'
Bright pink blossoms and darker green foliage.
'Morning Star White'
With stark white flowers.
'Nifty Thrifty'
With variegated foliage.
'Splendens'
With intense rose-magenta flowers.
'Rubrifolia'
Purple-red foliage and rosey-pink blossoms, blooms year-round.
'Vindictive'
​With bright blue-pink flowers, great as a groundcover.
'Victor Reiter'
A popular garden ornamental cultivar.

Armeria pungens (Spiny Thrift, Sea Rose)
This species is considered to be rare, and forms a small shrub about 30 inches tall. These plants grow in coastal locations in sand dunes and beaches. Flowers bloom from May through July. Leaves are pointed (hence the common name Spiny Thrift) and flowers are pink to light pink. Best in USDA hardiness zones 3-9.

Armeria welwitschii
This perennial evergreen shrub produces flowers in white and light pink (sometimes purple), and blooms from February through May. This species is native to Portugal and enjoys growing in spots on coastlines in sand dunes and beaches. These plants are often cultivated in home gardens in rocky areas. Individual plants reach up to 20 inches tall. This species does well in USDA hardiness zones 6 and above.

Caring for Armeria

Armeria plants can be purchased as seeds or starts from a reputable nursery, and they are typically available in springtime. Armeria prefer to be planted in a spot in the garden that receives full sun to light shade. Ideally, these plants should be receiving between 6 and 8 hours of sunlight per day for best foliage and flowering. They prefer soil to be lean (not too rich in nutrients) and be very well-draining with a gravelly consistency. Armeria appreciates a soil pH of between 4.0 and 10.0 (acidic, neutral, or alkaline). If local soils are not gravelly, it may be best to dedicate a specific bed in the landscape as a rock garden and amend the soil there, or simply grow Armeria in a container with its own specialized soil. Mulch with organic material or rocks, making sure that mulch does not actually touch plant stems.

Sea Thrift plants do not need to be fertilized; they naturally grow in lean soils. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home; at maturity, Armerias are considered quite drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater for much of the year with supplemental irrigations during extended periods of drought. Prune back foliage and flowers as needed to keep plants looking tidy, and divide plants every few years, either when they outgrow their space (if they are grown in a container or cramped border) or they develop central bald spots. For instructions on dividing Armeria plants, see the propagation section below. Protect plants from frost, especially when they are young. Armeria plants are considered reliable, long-lived perennials in the landscape (in the right climates), lasting on average for 3-5 years in temperate-climate gardens before needing to be replaced.

Growing Armeria in Containers
Armeria does well in the ground, but can also be grown in containers, which allows for their specific substrate needs to be met in a soil-based garden. Choose a pot that has very well-draining soil and that is a few inches wider and deeper than the original nursery pot or root ball. Fill with a well-draining, rocky substrate and mulch over the top with pebbles or more rocks. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself. At maturity,  Armerias are considered quite drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater for much of the year with supplemental irrigations during extended periods of drought. Prune back foliage and flowers as needed to keep plants looking tidy, and divide plants every few years, either when they outgrow their space or they develop central bald spots. For instructions on dividing Armeria plants, see the propagation section below.

Propagation

Armeria plants can be propagated either by using harvested seeds or through division. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant, especially if seeds have been harvested from a hybrid cultivar. To propagate your Thrift, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Armeria by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
  2. Harvest your seeds. Armeria plants do not produce seed pods. Instead, each blossom bract will disperse one individual seed covered in a papery chaff once the flower petals have faded. Cut dried flowering heads off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to release the seeds, a process that can be helped along with some rough handling/shaking. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container to work with them. Armeria seeds have a shelf life of about 1 year in a cool, dark dry area before they begin losing viability; it is best to use fresh seeds for propagation.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Sprouting usually happens between 7 and 28 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
 
Propagating Armeria by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh gravelly soil, compost, and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in spring or fall (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years. Armeria plants have a tendency to develop dead areas in the center of clumps once plants have been in the ground for some time. Divide plants to remove these bald spots, and replant the healthy divisions for a cleaner look. To propagate by division, follow these steps:
  1. Gather your materials. Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the roots. Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out. Alternatively, you can simply lift up one side of the plant, work it out of the ground, and then sever it from the parent plant, leaving the parent plant where it is in the landscape and backfilling the hole left behind with gravelly soil.
  2. Separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section and a good clump of above-ground growth.
  3. Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost and gravel to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly. 
  4. Apply a thick layer of rocks or organic mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the following spring.
Armeria dried flower heads, where seeds are held.
Armeria seeds.

Problems and Pests

Generally pest and disease resistant, these flowers can have issues from time to time with the following:
  • Aphids
  • Spider Mites
  • Root Rot 
  • Crown Rot
​For information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat them, consult the following pages:
​

Gallery

Here, Sea Thrift is planted on either side of a walkway, forming a low border of light pink blooms and green foliage.
Thrift does well in rock gardens.
Here, thrift is planted alongside Heuchera and Salvia.
Pink is a low-grower, and a great companion to plants such as Aubrieta, Stock, and Dianthus.
Sea Thrift provides pops of color in this bird bath bed, alongside Hosta, Viola, and Astrantia.
In this low creek bed landscape, Sea Thrift is planted amongst Juniper and various species of Aeonium, among others.

Videos

A review of Sea Thrift.
How to grow and care for Armeria plants.

Resources

How to Grow and Care for Sea Thrift (Armeria maratima)
Sea Thrift Plant: Tips on How to Grow Thrift Plant in the Garden
How to Plant and Grow Thrift
Armeria maratima (Sea Thrift)
Wikipedia: Armeria
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 169, Armeria