How to grow Armeria in a pot?

Which varieties to choose?

Most varieties of Spanish lawn form compact, rounded cushions not exceeding 20-30 cm in height when flowering, with an equivalent spread. These small dimensions make Arméria a perfect candidate for pot cultivation, window boxes, or bowls to brighten up a terrace or balcony. Among them, you can choose from:

• Armeria pseudarmeria ‘Ballerina Lilac’, a very lovely selection from the ‘Ballerina’ series offering larger flowers, sturdier flower stems, and a remarkably longer flowering period than the type.
• Armeria maritima ‘Düsseldorfer Stolz’, a selection with very bright pink pom-poms.
• Armeria maritima ‘Splendens’, adorned with splendid small flowers in bright red to pink on fine foliage of very vivid blue-green.
• Armeria Maritima ‘Alba’, develops a carpet of white flowers on greyish foliage.
• Armeria maritima ‘Vesuvius’, distinguished by its very original bronze foliage, serving as a backdrop for small bright pink flowers.
• Armeria juniperifolia, is a miniature species that is more spreading than the classic varieties, not exceeding 10 cm in height.

Armeria maritima ‘Düsseldorfer Stolz’, Armeria maritima ‘Alba’ and ‘Vesuvius’

When to plant sea thrift in pots?

In pots, Armeria or Sea Thrift is best planted in spring, from March to May, avoiding periods of frost or drought.

Planting Sea Thrift in Pots

The Container

The Sea Thrift thrives in pots, window boxes, or alpine troughs, either alone or in combination with other perennials that have the same cultural requirements (sun and well-draining, gravelly or sandy substrate). You can pair it with carnations, silver baskets, alyssums, or even Erigeron karvinskianus, other floriferous cushions. In this case, you will need to adjust the size of the container accordingly.

The substrate must also be very well-draining to avoid stagnant moisture at the roots; choose a pot with drainage holes to allow excess water to escape. Position it in full sun. Allow for an average diameter or width of 30 cm for the same depth, whether for a pot or a window box. Prefer terracotta containers, which are more breathable, although all materials (plastic, wood, ceramic) can be suitable.

Armeria maritima and Erigeron karvinskianus

The Substrate

Armeria requires a very well-draining substrate. Its only enemy is excess moisture, so incorporate draining materials into the planting compost to improve drainage. For planting, prepare a mix of half garden soil, half potting soil, and half gravel, pebbles, clay balls, pumice, or coarse sand.

Planting

Prepare your mix of potting soil and garden soil. Feel free to mix the Sea Thrift with other small perennials to create colourful pots; in this case, ensure a distance of 20 to 30 cm between each plant.

• Spread a good layer of drainage (gravel or clay balls) at least 5 cm thick (about 10% of the total volume) at the bottom of the container
• Remove your Armeria from the pot and place the root ball in the container
• Fill in with the substrate
• Lightly compact
• Mulch and water

Exposure

Reserve the sunniest and warmest spot for your container, as Armeria requires full sun to bloom well. Therefore, systematically avoid overly shaded locations.

The sea thrift needs a very sunny exposure

How to care for Armeria in pots?

In pots, Spanish Lawn is a truly low-maintenance perennial that requires very little care.

Watering

In pots, the substrate dries out faster than in open ground, so maintain regular watering, especially if drought sets in. Watering will be more important during the first year of pot planting. Wait until the substrate is dry before watering and avoid flooding it, as the roots of Armeria cannot tolerate excess water. Never allow water to stagnate in the saucer.

In winter, do nothing; excess water during this period can lead to root rot, so protect it from icy rains.

Fertiliser Application

In pots, the substrate depletes faster than in open ground. Once a month during the growing season, fertilise with a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants diluted in your watering water.

When repotting in spring, incorporate a slow-release fertiliser.

Pruning

Maintenance simply involves removing faded flowers as they appear to encourage flowering and keep the plant looking tidy.

At the end of flowering, cut back the clump using shears. This helps maintain a beautiful, vigorous, and compact clump. Every 2 to 3 years, divide the plants to rejuvenate them.

Repotting

Every spring, you can repot your Armeria in fresh substrate.

Diseases

In pots and greenhouses, Spanish Lawn can be susceptible to invasions of red spider mites and aphids. To eliminate them, spray with liquid black soap and discover our solutions to protect it from their attacks.

Rust remains the main enemy of Armeria. In spring, this fungus appears as reddish pustules on the leaves. Cut and destroy the affected leaves, then spray with diluted nettle or horsetail manure at 10%.

Wintering

Armeria is not afraid of cold or frost, as it can withstand temperatures down to -20°C, so you can leave it outside in winter. However, potted plants are more sensitive to the cold. If you live in a very wet area, I recommend protecting the pot from icy rains by placing it in a greenhouse, for example. Armeria fears winter flooding.

For further reading

• Discover our range of Spanish Lawns on our site!
• Find our advice sheet on how to get rid of rust disease!
• Our sheet will help you choose your fertiliser for planters and pots.