Other Names:  Chamois Cress, syn. Pritzelago alpina

Description:

A reliable spring bloomer for the rock garden, trough, or for edging a well drained border; ferny, evergreen foliage is smothered in clusters of tiny white flowers in spring and early summer; an impressive container plant as well

Ornamental Features

Alpine Cress is smothered in stunning clusters of white flowers with chartreuse eyes rising above the foliage from mid spring to early summer. Its ferny leaves remain dark green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Alpine Cress is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Alpine Cress is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Alpine Cress will grow to be only 2 inches tall at maturity extending to 4 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Alpine Cress is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.