Acantholimon

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Read about Acantholimon in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Acantholimon (akanthos, spine, and limon, sea lavender). Syn., Armeriastrum. Plumbaginaceae. Prickly Thrift. Hardy evergreen perennials, sometimes a little woody.

Leaves stiff, linear, round or slightly 3-angled, the angles channeled, the apex nearly always sharp- pointed: scape and peduncle nearly always simple, sometimes a little branched: fls. usually between and half hidden by the numerous bracts of the tightly compressed heads, spikes or racemes; corolla rose or white, the petals at the base united to form a ring around the stamens; calyx tubular, the tube 10-ribbed. Boissier describes 74 species in the Flora Orientalis. See A. Bunge, Die Gattung Acantholimon, St. Petersburg, 1872.

The acantholimons are dwarf, tufted herbs, with sharp-pointed, rigid leaves; less common than Statice and Armeria, from both of which it is distinguished by its sharp-pointed leaves. An oriental genus of slow-growing and sun-loving plants for rockeries and sandy places. Most of them can be grown in the open border, A. glumaceum particularly, but they prefer warm, sunny situations in the rock-garden.

Propagation is best effected by cuttings taken in late summer and kept in a coldframe, protected from the frost, over winter. Layering is also a quicker method of propagation.


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Acantholimon
Acantholimon glumaceum.jpg
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Plumbaginaceae
Genus: Acantholimon
Boiss.

Species
See text.


Acantholimon (Prickly thrift) is a genus of small flowering plants within the plumbago or leadwort family, Plumbaginaceae. They are native to central Asia, but also cultivated elsewhere in rock gardens.

Species

Species of Armeria include:

  • Acantholimon albertii
  • Acantholimon avenaceum
  • Acantholimon glumaceum
  • Acantholimon venustum