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Annual Biennial

Gypsophila vaccaria

cow herb

An annual wildflower, with upright, branching stems to around 60cm high, and lance-shaped, grey-green leaves clasping the stems. Spreading clusters of small pink flowers, with notched petals and darker pink veins, are produced in spring and early summer

Other common names

cow basil
cow cockle
see morecow fat
cow soapwort
glond
soapwort

Synonyms

Vaccaria violescens
Vaccaria pyramidata
see moreVaccaria hispanica
Gypsophila violescens
Vaccaria segetalis
Saponaria vaccaria

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but 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: Caryophyllaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: Gypsophila can be annuals or perennials, sometimes evergreen, with narrow, greyish leaves and large sprays of small flowers
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Thrives in a range of soils and positions, often found on distubed soils and field margins. Self seeds freely and has potential to become a nuisance if not managed

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildflower meadow
Wildlife gardens

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to cutworms

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to sooty mould

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