Image - Flickr / Arcipelago di La Maddalena Parco Nazionale
La Armeria pungens It is a small plant that almost always grows near water courses, and when it blooms it produces a large number of pink flowers which, although they are not very large, do manage to give a very unique appearance to the landscape.
Although it is a plant that is rarely seen in gardens, due to its ornamental value it is interesting to grow it. Even if it is not possible to plant it in the ground, that is not a problem since also adapts to flower pots.
Origin and characteristics of Armeria pungens
It is an endemic subshrub plant that grows wild in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Corsica and Sardinia. Reaches a maximum height of 80 centimeters. Its stems grow upright and branch out quite a bit. The leaves can be linear to lanceolate, with a length of 14 centimeters and a width of 6 millimeters.
Moving on to its flowers, these are grouped in rounded inflorescences known as capitula, which sprout at the end of some stems called peduncles. They are pink.
What are their cares?
Image - Wikimedia / Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez
La Armeria pungens It is an ideal plant to have in a garden or in a pot. Its rapid growth and, especially, its easy cultivation, make it an interesting species for all those who want simple plants to maintain. For this reason, below we will see how to take care of it:
Location
It is a plant that must be in an area exposed to sunlight. Therefore, it should be grown in an external area of the house, whether on a balcony, in a patio or in the garden. If you choose to have it planted in the ground, it is interesting to plant it, for example, in the rockery, or on the side of roads.
Earth
We are talking about a plant that grows in light soils with good water drainage. Taking this into account, if it is going to be in the garden it will be necessary to make sure if the land we have is suitable for it. Therefore, we will make a hole of about 50 x 50 centimeters, and we will fill it with water. If it absorbs quickly, then it is good; otherwise it will be necessary to fill it with a mixture of culture substrate with perlite in equal parts.
Now, if we prefer to have it in a pot, what we will do is fill it with a mixture of peat with perlite, or with pumice mixed with 50% akadama.
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From the beginning of spring until after the summer we will pay the Armeria pungens. If it is on the ground, we can use organic fertilizers, powder or granules, such as manure (which is already dry), compost, or mulch (for sale here). We will add one or two handfuls, depending on the size of the plant, and we will water.
Now, if it is in a pot, it will be preferable to use fertilizers or liquid fertilizers, following the instructions that will be found on the product packaging. One highly recommended is guano (for sale here), since it is natural and quickly effective. Fertilizers for flowering plants also work.
Multiplication
It is a plant that multiplies by seeds from spring to summer. The steps to follow during planting are the following:
- The first is to choose a container that serves as a seedbed, such as a pot or a tray with holes.
- It is then filled with substrate, either specific for seedbeds (for sale here), universal, or another like a mixture of akadama with peat in equal parts.
- Afterwards, we proceed to water.
- Then, a maximum of 3 seeds are placed in each alveolus or in each pot, and they are covered with a little substrate so that they are not directly exposed to the sun.
- Finally, the seedbed is placed in a sunny place.
The seeds of Armeria pungens They will take about a week to germinate, provided they are fresh.
Transplant
When the roots come out of the holes in the pot, it will be a good time to transplant it. This it will be done in spring, coinciding with the increase in temperatures that occurs when winter ends.
You have to proceed with it carefully, extracting it from the plant without manipulating the roots too much, and planting it immediately in its new pot or in the garden.
Rusticity
Image - Wikimedia / Gianni Careddu
La Armeria pungens, being a typical plant of the Mediterranean region, and specifically of the coasts, is able to withstand weak frosts, up to -4ºC. It can live in subtropical climate zones.
What did you think of Armeria pungens? If you are looking for a herbaceous plant that lives a few years and is easy to care for, without a doubt this is one that you have to look at, since it has practically no pest or disease problems, apart from some cochineal or aphid that can be easily removed.