Aubrieta: flowering time, location & the most beautiful varieties

Like a soft carpet, Aubrieta covers the rock garden or hangs down from flower boxes on the balcony. This cushioning perennial is appreciated not only for its ornamental value, but also for its undemanding nature.

Aubrieta will brighten up any dry stone wall, no matter how barren. With its bluish-purple flowers, it is a welcome garden ornamental and even a nectar-giving bee pasture. All the information about planting, care and the most beautiful varieties of Aubrieta are explained in this article.

Aubrieta: origin and characteristics

Aubrieta is also known as false rockcress and includes the plant genus Aubrieta, which belongs to the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae). The genus includes about 15 species, which were originally distributed in the Mediterranean region and the Near East. In the right location, Aubrieta now thrives well in our area. Most of the cultivars and ornamentals we know of are Aubrieta hybrids, resulting from accidental crosses or purposeful breeding. Aubrietia is used increasingly in rock gardens, as wall planting or as a hanging ornamental in balcony boxes. As groundcover, Aubrieta are creeping cushion perennials with a low growth habit, reaching a maximum height of 15 inches. With their growth habit they form wide and dense mats with which they cover barren surfaces in the garden. Depending on the species, its evergreen and small leaves are lanceolate to spatulate, undivided, toothed or entire with light green colouration. Between April and May, Aubrieta produces numerous flowers that subsequently develop into egg-shaped pods. Depending on the variety, the colour spectrum of the small cross flowers varies from white, blue, purple, to pink and red. Aubrieta is also considered extremely insect-friendly. With its flowering splendour, Aubrieta provides a rich source of nectar for bees, various butterflies and numerous other pollinators.

When does Aubrieta bloom?

Most Aubrieta have a flowering period from April to May. Since the flowers grow densely packed, together they form a homogeneous flower field.

Are Aubrieta perennial?

The Aubrieta is a perennial plant. If the Aubrieta grows in the right location and does not get too much moisture there, it can beautify the perennial garden. In unfavourable locations, too wet and too cold, it sometimes freezes in winter.

The most beautiful species and varieties: Greek Aubrieta and similar

Many popular cultivars of the Aubrieta are hybrids of various Aubrieta species, which are also increasingly used in our home gardens. They can be recognised by the designation “x cultorum“. Depending on the cultivation, the Aubrieta varies in particular in its colour. Here we present the most beautiful species and varieties.

Cultured Aubrieta varieties

• Aubrieta x cultorum ‘Blaumeise’: growing height between 8 and 10 cm; blue-purple flower from April to May; hardy to -23 °C.

• Aubrieta x cultorum ‘Cascade Blue’: Growing height of 8 – 10 cm; bright blue flowers from April to May; hardy to -29 °C.

• Aubrieta x cultorum ‘Cascade Red’: growing height between 8 and 10 cm; red flower between April and May; hardy to -20 °C.

• Aubrieta x cultorum ‘Hürth’: growing height between 5 and 10 cm; light blue flower from April to May and second flowering in September; hardy to -23 ° C; special feature: reliable formation of a second pile by pruning after flowering, i.e. remontant behaviour.
• Aubrieta x cultorum ‘Winterling’: growing height between 5 and 10 cm; white, weakly double flower between April and May; hardy to -23 °C.
• Aubrieta x cultorum ‘Downer’s Bont’: White variegated cultivar with white margins on leaves; flower dark purple, hardy to -23 °C.

Tip: The Aubrieta cultivar ‘Pixie Pearls’ also blooms white, but the flowers are single and thus more conducive to bees and other insects.

More decorative Aubrieta species

• Aubrieta gracilis: Growth height to 10 cm; blue-purple flower; blooms from March to May; hairs on leaves and stem.

• Greek Aubrieta Aubrieta deltoidea: growing height from 5 – 20 cm; purple, pink, red or white flower; long flowering period from April to June.

• Aubrieta columnae: Height of growth between 5 and 10 cm; pink to blue-purple flower between April and May; slightly hairy leaves and stems.

Planting Aubrieta

As a dense-growing groundcover, Aubrieta can form showy carpets of flowers. Thus, even a single specimen develops into a dense, flowering cushion. For an expansive floral display, several Aubrieta can be placed in groups to adorn a bed or pot. In addition, the low-maintenance Aubrieta can be used for grave planting, where it decorates the ground as an evergreen plant even in winter. With regard to soil conditions, Aubrieta is quite unpretentious. Blue pinks are best planted in moderately dry to fresh ground, rather than summer-dry soil – where they thrive best. The substrate should not accumulate moisture, be rich in nutrients and not too poor in lime. A sunny to full-sun and, above all, warm location should be chosen.
In sum, the rock steppe, stone plant, and wall top habitats, each with an adequate water supply, are perfectly suited for the warmth-loving Aubrieta. The stones store heat and create optimal conditions.

Aubrieta is best planted in the spring, starting in March or even October, and proceed as follows:

• For planting, dig a hole with a volume twice the size of the pre-culture container.
• If necessary, fill in a drainage layer.
• Saturate the root ball of the Aubrieta and place it in the hole.
• Fill the cavities with excavated material and press down lightly.
• Water the plant with about 2 – 3 litres of water.

If you want to plant several specimens next to each other, then they should be placed so that a planting distance of at least half the width of the growth. Therefore, no more than 10 perennials should be planted on one square metre.

If you do not have a garden or want to spruce up your balcony, you can also cultivate your Aubrieta outside in a pot. A suitable medium cultivation in a pot is our Plantura Organic Enriched Compost, for example. This peat-free and long-term pre-fertilised substrate provides your Aubrieta with sufficient nutrients and thus promotes growth and flowering of the perennial. Since the plant does not tolerate water logging of any kind, sufficient drainage should be ensured when growing in pots. It is therefore recommended that you line the base of the pot with a layer of gravel and thin out the substrate used with 30% sand content. For the Aubrieta in the pot, a container with a diameter of at least 40 cm should be chosen, therefore the plant has plenty of room to grow. The procedure for planting is the same as for planting in a bed as mentioned above.

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Tip: The Aubrieta can be well combined with various flowering perennials. Thus, it forms a colourful flower carpet with neighbours such as daisy (Arabis spec.), candytuft (Iberis spec.), or even sweet alyssum (Alyssum spec.).

The right care

As a frugal perennial, Aubrieta requires little care. To keep this cushioning perennial nice and compact, it is recommended to cut back the Aubrieta by about half each year after flowering in May. This prevents seed formation and compacts the cushion. Also, pruning after flowering allows remnant varieties to bloom one more time. Aubrieta should only be fertilised in the spring, because late fertilising reduces its winter hardiness. It is enough to lay out a light layer of compost in the spring, which will promote the growth and flowering of the perennial. Fertilising is much easier with a granular fertiliser such as our Plantura Flower Food. This predominantly organic flower fertiliser provides your Aubrieta with long-term nutrients. Fertilise before flowering in February or after flowering, in late May.

Also, remember to water regularly, although Aubrieta are quite tolerate drought, they should be watered regularly. Especially during the hot summer months, you should reach for the watering can more often and keep the soil moderately moist.

Are Aubrieta hardy?

Despite the fact that the perennial comes from warmer regions, Aubrieta is quite hardy. Depending on the variety, it tolerates outdoor temperatures of maximum -29 °C and does not require any protection. If the Aubrieta grows in the pot or the outside temperature continues to drop, the bottom can be covered with brushwood and the pot wrapped with a suitable fleece. During the winter, Aubrieta is most sensitive to waterlogging. To prevent root rot, choose a container with adequate drainage and place it under a sheltered canopy.

Propagation

Aubrieta is propagated in a variety of ways. This means that, using purchased or your own seeds, you can carry out sowing in the spring. Dividing the root ball of Aubrieta after flowering proves more difficult, and therefore is not a common practice. The easiest way to propagate Aubrieta in late May by means of cuttings as follows:

• When pruning at the end of May, cut off about 7 cm of the shoots
• Place cuttings in small growing pots filled with a growing medium such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seeding Compost mixed with 20% sand.
• Water substrate and put pots in a bright place
• Root at 20 °C for 3 – 4 weeks
• Keep substrate moist at all times, but do not allow it to become waterlogged
• Repot young plants as soon as roots have formed

Is Aubrieta poisonous?

Aubrieta is non-toxic and can be touched by humans, dogs and cats without concern. However, consumption is not recommended because it is not known how the digestion of any mammal reacts to the plant juices.

Barren rock gardens and walls can be enlivened with Aubrieta, as well as all sorts of fragrant herbs. Planted somewhat higher, drier, and more nutrient-poor in a herb spiral, sideritis thrives, not only looking fascinating, but tasting great as well.