Sea Thrift
Armeria maritima
Also known as Thrift, Sea Pink, Sea Cushion
Climate Match for your location
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A low-growing coastal perennial with fine, needle-like evergreen foliage and tight clusters of pink, red, or white flowers. Extremely hardy and drought-tolerant, ideal for rock gardens, borders, and coastal landscapes.
Why grow it
Sea thrift offers reliable, low-maintenance performance in exposed coastal sites and poor soils where many ornamentals struggle. Its fine-textured foliage and compact mounding habit provide year-round structure in rock gardens and alpine troughs, while flowering extends from spring into early summer with minimal deadheading required. Compared to cushion phlox and alpine pinks, sea thrift tolerates salt spray and windy conditions more consistently across maritime climates.
Watch out for
In areas with high summer humidity or poorly draining soils, plants may succumb to root rot or fungal issues despite their general hardiness. Older plants can become woody and lose vigor after several years, making periodic division or rejuvenation pruning worthwhile. They prefer lean soils and may become lank or flower sparsely if grown in rich, heavily amended beds.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Plumbaginaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Coastal regions of Europe and North Africa
Native to: Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A low-growing coastal perennial with fine, needle-like evergreen foliage and tight clusters of pink, red, or white flowers. Extremely hardy and drought-tolerant, ideal for rock gardens, borders, and coastal landscapes.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Sea Thrift grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Sea thrift offers reliable, low-maintenance performance in exposed coastal sites and poor soils where many ornamentals struggle. Its fine-textured foliage and compact mounding habit provide year-round structure in rock gardens and alpine troughs, while flowering extends from spring into early summer with minimal deadheading required. Compared to cushion phlox and alpine pinks, sea thrift tolerates salt spray and windy conditions more consistently across maritime climates.
Watch out for
In areas with high summer humidity or poorly draining soils, plants may succumb to root rot or fungal issues despite their general hardiness. Older plants can become woody and lose vigor after several years, making periodic division or rejuvenation pruning worthwhile. They prefer lean soils and may become lank or flower sparsely if grown in rich, heavily amended beds.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Plumbaginaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Coastal regions of Europe and North Africa
Native to: Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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