PLANT LIBRARY

Other Names:  Coat Flower, Pink Saxifrage

Description:

A spreading, mat forming variety that is dotted with flowers in spring to mid-summer; spring flowers are white but transition to pink in summer; looks great cascading over walls, or as a rock garden accent; mulch root zone to retain soil moisture

Ornamental Features

Tunic Flower features dainty white star-shaped flowers with pink overtones at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid summer. Its small grassy leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Tunic Flower is an herbaceous 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 plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Tunic Flower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Tunic Flower will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 10 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

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. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for sandy, alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America..

Tunic Flower 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.