Digging deeperPlant Library

Nifty Thrifty Sea Thrift flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Sea Pink

Description:

Unique tufts of grassy foliage with creamy white variegated foliage; showy globe-shaped pink flowers on wiry stems; this plant thrives in poor soils and xeriscapes

Ornamental Features

Nifty Thrifty Sea Thrift has masses of beautiful balls of hot pink flowers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to early summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its attractive tiny grassy leaves remain forest green in color with showy creamy white variegation throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Nifty Thrifty Sea Thrift is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Nifty Thrifty Sea Thrift is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Nifty Thrifty Sea Thrift will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 6 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. 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.

Nifty Thrifty Sea Thrift is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.