Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
garystpaul_zone_4

Aubrieta -- What's up with this plant?

garystpaul
11 years ago

Every spring i see seeds in the racks, but never plants in the nurseries (Minnesotan here). I've read up on aubrieta, seen no red flags, but am wondering why no one around here seems to grow it, or why it's not listed for sale in many places (I haven't seen any). Is this a difficult plant, fussy, not worth the trouble? Would appreciate hearing any views, experiences, etc. I have half a flat of Whitewell Gem (Burpee) growing under lights in my basement.

TIA, Gary

Comments (27)

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    11 years ago

    I have Aubrieta, although this is my first year with it. It is a rock garden type of plant, fyi, although I have it just in a normal bed. I purchased it as a plant from our local nursery, so they are available out there. The variety that I have is Violet With Eye and it is showstopping gorgeous! Completely covered with blooms right now and they are flourescent purple, they look like they glow when dusk comes around. I am trialing it this year to see how it does. I did a ton of research before I purchased it and everything looked good about it. Of course, my research was for Zone 7, but this variety does list zone 4 as the lowest it will go. All I can say is that I have been very pleased with it, so far, but time will tell.

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    11 years ago

    Here's a pic of mine. Gorgeous color! Pardon my leaves :) Still putting plants in, so haven't mulched for the spring, yet.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    11 years ago

    Aubrieta is a very common spring plant in my area. We carry it in bulk at this time of year because it offers such a great strong color in the garden when a lot of other perennials are barely breaking the soil :-) It is usually considered a rock garden plant here as well (common name is rock cress), although it is frequently used as an edging or border plant. Because it flows and draps so well it is often used in the nooks and crannies or at the top of rock walls. And it is evergreen in this climate.

    'Rokey's Purple' is the big seller here but it is also available in blue, lavender, raspberry and white forms. The other, related spring blooming plant is Arabis caucasica. Arabis may be a slightly hardier choice for you - otherwise, zone 4 is marginal.

  • linaria_gw
    11 years ago

    I always watch some plants growing in my neighborhood. One manages to flower but looks horrible in autumn because it grows under a small ornamental tree and obviously doesn`t agree with leaf litter. another specimen is on my way to work, a seedling, judging by it growing out of some sunny old stone wall. It formed quite a mound, the foliage looks always nice, healthy and green and it starts flowering now. Doesnt get any TLC but thrives in that spot.

    I think that this plant tends to age very fast when planted in a regular border with good soil which probably is frustrating, as no amount of lifting/dividing will "cure" it. Well, just try it and watch closely, bye, Lin

  • wieslaw59
    11 years ago

    In my experience, even the bluest aubretia is just pure violet, end you will not get ANY closer. It can be blue, but only on labels.

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    11 years ago

    What attracted me originally to aubrieta was that it has a very bluish violet color on half of the flowers and very deep purple on the others. Absolutely beautiful contrast on the same plant. I guess technically it's not blue, but when you put blue violet up against real true purple, it very much looks blue! By the way, it takes frost well. Was a completely frozen plant this morning and is continuing to bloom beautifully today.

  • mnwsgal
    11 years ago

    I haven't seen it for sale in my area of the Twin Cities either. I have some that I started from seed several years ago as an edging in one of my beds. Am starting more again this year. It has been neglected and is sparse. Would love to have a clump as lovely as Sunny's.

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    11 years ago

    I haven't been particularly successful with it. Perhaps it doesn't like our weather or acid soil, but I've tried it 3 times over 20 years at 2 different houses, and it hasn't done particularly well in any of the locations, all sunny and reasonably well drained.

  • linaria_gw
    10 years ago

    Hi Gary, i just managed to take a snap of the Aubrieta seedling, or rather seedlings, judging by the flower colors, I guess there are about 3 different plants. Probably still some time to wait untill yours start sprouting, well then, bye, Lin

  • lola-lemon
    10 years ago

    Lowes has Aubrieta for sale around here right now.
    I have a sort of cascade (beds beside steps) of aubrieta about ready to bloom.
    I am ambivalent about this plant. It puts out an amazing bloom for a few weeks in spring that gets lots of compliments- then it looks bad ugly and needs a haircut to cut off all the flower stalks and seed pods.
    It is prone to some kind of VERY Thick white fungus that if you disturb the plant it billows like smoke. YuK!
    and I had a big section up and die this last winter so I am torn about regrowing it.
    The local park grows a wall of alternating colors (mine is a really nice bold violet color) with some other creepers and it looks great.

  • bekahbo
    6 years ago

    I was lucky enough to find one plant about three weeks ago. I love it. It is in the middle of my yard and get's plenty of sun. I live on the Panhandle of Florida...and even in the coldest weather we have (28F) it still blooms. It really blooms all year around here. But I can't find other plants. I would like it to spread across my bed..with my Thai Jasmin's White fragrant blooms...very nice. I guess I will just try to separate the plant I have to get it started on the other end of my flower bed. I found some in England but they do not ship plants...only seeds. If any one knows where I can buy additional plants. Would love to hear from you.



  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    6 years ago

    Aubretia self sows round here into stone walls. That tells you its preferred habitat. Very fast draining, no fertiliser but plenty of moisture. Not such a good candidate for a flat, well fed garden bed.

  • sunnyborders
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I love aubrietia, especially 'Whitewell Gem' as said above. But here creeping phlox (phlox subulata) is generally a longer lived edging plant.

  • flowergirl70ks
    6 years ago

    I first saw this growing in Switzerland on rock walls everywhere. It was late March. Just had to try some, bloomed well for 2 years and didn't return after that. Too hot here in southwest Ks.

  • catkinZ8a
    6 years ago

    Old thread, LOL. I had some in a cement pot--it seeded in the gravel at the base of the pot and is quite happy there for a couple of years, now.

  • mnwsgal
    6 years ago

    Mine did not come back this spring.

  • elurie_ceramics
    6 years ago

    To answer the first question, why you don't see these around. The seeds are tiny and take about 3 weeks to come up. You have to be able to recognize the seedlings before they are overwhelmed by nearby plants or weeds. that's hard to do if you are unfamiliar with the plant to begin with. The are "mat formers":1/2 to 2 inches high and as wide as 15 inches. So they make a good ground cover but not in the typical perennial bed. They need at least a 1/2 day of sun and excellent drainage. I fell in love with this plant and rock garden plants in general on a trip to England, and have been growing them ever since. My house had a ditch in front and I removed the grass and added very fine crushed gravel. The site received about 6 hours of sun in the afternoon and the plants depended totally on rain. I simply scattered the tiny seeds, marked the area with a couple of plant stakes and when they came up and had their first set of true leaves, I transplanted them not only to that site but in various places around my property. They love the gravel because they cannot thrive with wet feet. Drainage must be very good and heat does not bother them. The mats are completely covered in April with brilliant dime sized flowers that can be seen 50 feet away. If the conditions above are maintained, the only care they need is to shear them back after flowering. This encourages new healthy growth.

  • biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
    5 years ago

    I have been looking for it in my local nurseries without success as well. I'm thinking of starting some from seed this year instead - any varietal recommendations? I love the deeper purples/blue-purples. I especially like the Violet with Eye (or Blue with Eye), but those seem to be a proprietary strain and not available as seed.

  • biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
    5 years ago

    Update on my aubrieta from seed experiment. I started several varieties one month ago - Alpine White, Cascade Blue, Royal Mix and Hendersonii - under grow lights with intermittent use of a heating mat. The Cascade and Royal mix germinated in about 10-14 days and seem to be doing fine. The Alpine white took at least an additional week and don't look quite as robust as the other two. The Hendersonii have not germinated aside from one tiny little sprout (I sowed about 50 seeds). Anyone know if the Hendersonii variety needs special treatment? I was considering trying again without the heat mat to see if that helps.

  • HU-81164530
    3 years ago

    I have had Aubrieta for 4 years now and they are beautiful in the spring, but I have an issue with them.


    I live in Zone 6. They are planted in a rock garden that receives 8 hrs of direct sun each day, the soil is slightly acidic (6.8 ph) and well drained.


    Every spring they are beautiful and have multiplied, but early summer they all start to brown and look like 90% have died. In the fall they start to come back and look good in the winter.


    I have thought it was water - but not, then fertizer - but no change and now I have added a little acidifier (if that is a word) and some peat moss where i could.


    Any suggestions of what is going on with them?......thanks!

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    3 years ago

    I love the look of Aubrieta, but only tried it once. It's a rock garden plant. Loves good drainage. Look at how much it is growing between two rocks. I have clay soil and no rocky wall to nestle it into.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    3 years ago

    Also, if you don't have luck germinating it, try winter sowing.

  • elurie_ceramics
    3 years ago

    I created special spots for my plants digging as much as 50% turkey grit or fine limestone chips into the bed. Then I would top dress with more limestone. I even had two beds that were just gravel. New young plants which I grew from seed were put directly into the gravel and they loved it.

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I think that elurie ceramics has the trick with the combo of gravel and lime. I have areas of very well drained gravel soil, but my one Aubrieta isn’t particularly happy with my acidic soil.

  • elurie_ceramics
    3 years ago

    I should also mention that they like sun, but there is a limit. At my new place, some of the plants that are in a spot that gets 8 hours plus look pretty unhappy. We are also having a drought and had about ten consecutive days of 90 plus degrees. I've been watering every couple of days. Conversely, plants that are in a spot where they get about 5 hours of sun in the morning are looking very good. From past experience though I know that the unhappy ones are still going to survive and bloom next year. One other very important cultural tip is that after plants flower, you should give them a "haircut" Cut back about 50%. The plant will then respond by getting thicker and will be much bigger next year. When I grow from seed, I begin to pinch the young plants as soon after they get their true leaves as possible to make them thicken up. As you can tell, I love this plant. There is nothing like it for vibrant early spring bloom.

  • Maria Sarli
    2 years ago

    so i assume this plant is not a good idea for a pretty long very sloping area above a rock wall that is a retaining wall (runs front the street, all along the driveway to the other end of the house, probably around 200 feet by 30 feet) because these plants would require regular maintenance (cutting back after flowering) or they would look terrible?

Sponsored
Preferred General Contracting, Inc.
Average rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars9 Reviews
Fairfax County's Specialized, Comprehensive Renovations Firm