Id-Code: AA 513
Family: Asteraceae, Compositae
Origin: Europe, North America and Asia
Special Features: Low, mat-forming habit and dainty wine red flowers
History: Species once used as herbal treatment for bites of poisonous snakes
Colour: Wine red flowers finishing-off to soft pink
Natural Flowering Period: May - June
Winter Hardiness Zones: Z4-7
Growth Habit: Mat-forming
Foliage: Leaves grey-green above and felty grey below
Height with Flowers: 10 cm (4'')
Spacing between Plants: 30 cm (12'')
Soil Requirements: Well-drained soils; tolerant gritty soils, pH 6.2 - 7.2
Location: Full sun
Use: Plant in the rock garden, or planters, with Lychnis alpina 'Snow Flurry', Silene caroliniana var. wherryi and Sedum spurium 'Summer Glory'
Specialities: Good groundcover for dry scree conditions

Cultural Tips:
Grams per 1000 Seeds: 0,042
Seeds per Gram: 24000
Seeding Recommendation: 0,25 g / 1000 plants
Sowing Rate: 8-12 seeds per cell
Plug tray recommended size(s): 128, 288
Germination: These perennial seeds germinate very irregularly over a long period. Lower temperatures of less than +5°C [41°F] are very effective. Seed trays should not be discarded prematurely. Constant moisture must be maintained. Do not leave in direct sunlight.

Scheduling:
Best Sowing Dates: November - March
Sowing to Germination: 6 - 10 weeks
Germination to Transplant: 4 - 6 weeks
Transplanting to Salable Plant: 6 - 8 weeks
Cutting-Back at Transplanting: Not necessary

Growing On:
Container Size(s): 1 plug per 8/9 cm (3 1/2''); 1-2 plugs per 11/12 cm (4 1/2'')
Vernalization: There is no current research on vernalization but a prudent recommendation for any perennial would be 6-12 weeks (a few might need 15 weeks!) at an average daily temperature of 40°F (5°C). Exposure to cold may not be necessary for flowering but might improve quality.
Forcing: An obvious place to experiment - following vernalization - would be raising daytime temperatures to 60° - 65°F (15° - 17°C). Provide 16 hours of continuous lighting. During the short days of winter, provide a night interruption lighting of 4 hours between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Fertilization: Light (100-150 ppm)