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Herbaceous Perennial

Limonium gmelinii

Clump-forming perennial about 45cm tall, forming a basal rosette of broad, flat, grey-green leaves and bearing upright, wiry stems about 60cm tall carrying sprays of small papery, smoky-blue, long-lasting flowers in summer, which are very attractive to pollinators

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

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: Plumbaginaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous or Semi evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Limonium can be annuals, deciduous or evergreen perennials with simple or pinnately lobed leaves and showy panicles of small flowers with long-lasting coloured tubular calyces and insignificant, ephemeral petals
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in preferably sandy, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerant of dry, stony soil and maritime locations. Protect from winter wet. Good for cut flowers, fresh and dried

Propagation

Propagate by seed in early spring or by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Rock garden
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut down spent flower stems after flowering is finished

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to Powdery mildews

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