Grace Ward Lithodora
Fetching blue star-shaped flowers cover this dense ground-hugging perennial; absolutely must have a well-drained, sandy soil to survive; makes an ideal rock or alpine garden addition
Attracts,
Brand,
Brand,
Botanical Name,
Bulb Size,
Bulbs per Package,
Deer Resistant,Yes
Evergreen or Deciduous,
Family,Lithodora
Family Name,
Bloom Time,Late Spring to Mid Summer
Foliage Color,Green
Genus,Lithodora
Genus Name,
Weather,
Days to Emerge,
Days to Maturity,
Edible,
Features,
Growth Rate,Medium
Hardiness,
Hardiness Zone,4b
Harvest Season,
Landscape Uses,Rock, Edging, Garden, Groundcover, Container
Light Needs,Full Sun, Partial Shade
Mature Height,4 inches (6 inches with the flowers)
Mature Width,18 inches
Prune Time,Spring Cleanup
Self Pollinating,
Water Needs,Average to Moist
Waterwise,
Essentials for Success
For flourishing plants, use potting soil for potted plants or planting mix for garden beds paired with Root Zone starter fertilizer is the perfect duo to foster robust root growth and minimize transplant shock.
Details
Grace Ward Lithodora is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Grace Ward Lithodora is recommended for the following landscape applications:
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Container Planting
Features
Grace Ward Lithodora is blanketed in stunning blue star-shaped flowers with white eyes at the ends of the stems from late spring to mid summer. Its small tomentose narrow leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the year. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Care
Planting & Growing
Grace Ward Lithodora will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 6 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
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 particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for sandy, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Grace Ward Lithodora 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.
