ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE

Selection of perennials

About 120 species mostly in Mediterranean and Central Asia, 90 in the FSU. All are attractive, spiny, cushion-forming plants, but only a few are in cultivation. All are sun lovers from Central Asia and the southern parts of the Caucasus, they require full sun on southern slopes or vertical rock walls and can actually thrive on bare rock. Some (A. albertii Regel, A. borodinii Krasn., A. diapensioides Boiss. and A. erythraeum Bunge) form large cushions to 2 m across, while others (A. compactum Korov., A. hedinii Ostenf., A. komarovii Czerniak. ex Lincz. and A. korovinii Czerniak.) extremely tight, tufted cushions. Yet even other species form open, lax cushions of sometimes no larger than 20 cm in diameter (A. alexandri Fed., A. margaritae Korov. ex Lincz., A. procumbens Czerniak., A. ruprechtii Bunge and A. virens Czerniak. ex Lincz.). All are well suited to the rock garden, these three species particularly so.

A. avenaceum Bunge

Central Asia (mountains of Turkmenia) and Iran. On rocky mountain slopes and talus.

Cushion hemispherical evergreen 15 to 25 cm diam. Leaves pale green or glaucescent-green, linear-subulate, narrowly-triangular, rigid, 2-4 cm x 0.1-0.2 cm. Flower stalks rising above the leaves to 10 cm. Spikes loose, shorter on the lateral branches. Spiklets single-flowered. Flowers purple or bright pink to nearly white. V - throughout the season, new growth in early spring, the spring leaves are shorter and broader than the summer ones. Fl - July. Fr - August. P - by seed. Requires a sunny position and well-drained soil. Z 6 (5).

A. glumaceum (Jaub. & Spach.) Boiss.

Caucasus (southern Transcaucasus), northwestern Iran. In subalpine and alpine zones, on rocky places.

Loose cushion 15-30 (-50) cm in diam. Summer leaves 2-4 cm, rigid, sharp pointed 3-angeled in cross section. Spring leaves shorter. Scapes exceed leaves. Panicles of 5-10 flowered sessile spikelets. Flowers bright pink and purple. Calyx colored funnelform. V - throughout the season. Fl - July, for one month. Fr. - September. P - by seed and cuttings, taken in late summer. Z 5. New.

A. pterostegium Bunge

Central Asia (mountains of Turkmenia) and Iran. On rocky slopes and shallow soils at 600-1,800 m.

Cushion evergreen, commonly loose, 15-40 cm diam. Leaves glaucous or greenish-glaucous, 3-5 cm x 0.1-0.2 cm. Flower stalks hardly exceeding the leaves, simple or weakly apically branched. Spikes terminal, subspherical, large, to 4-6 cm. Spiklets 2 to 5-flowered. Flowers white or pink. V - throughout the season, new growth from early spring till late summer. Fl - May. Fr - June. P - by seed. Requires a sunny position. Z 6 (5). New.

A. purpureum Korov.

Central Asia (Tien Shan, Kirgizskiy Alatau). Rocky slopes in alpine and subalpine zones. Endemic.

Cushion lax, evergreen, 20-30 cm diam. Leaves glaucescent-green, linear-subulate, triangular, rigid, 2 cm x 0.1 cm, narrowed to a spine at the apex, with ciliate margins. Flower stalks exceeding the leaves. Spikes loose. Flowers solitary on slender branches of the main stem. Flowers bright pink and dark violet. V - throughout the season, new growth since mid spring till late summer. Fl - mid-summer about one month. Fr - September. P - by seed or cuttings. Will flower in the second year. Does well only in a warm and rather dry climate. Z 6 (5). New.