Now that summer is upon, what could be better than a little relief from the heat in the garden?
It might be time to consider snow-in-summer or Cerastium tomentosum, an herbaceous flowering perennial native to alpine regions of Europe. A member of the Caryophyllaceae family that includes carnations, this popular plant can be found in gardens worldwide.
The stems and leaves of snow-in-summer are silvery-gray with masses of small white starlike flowers. This versatile plant blooms in summer, but may also bloom at other times during the year.
Cerastium tomentosum is a natural complement to most design styles from residential to industrial, including Victorian, Craftsman, Contemporary and Modern. It can work well as groundcovers, pathway linings, in borders, in beds and in tubs or containers.
It lends architectural appeal, spilling over stone walls, in rock gardens and other dry areas. It can be reliable on steep slopes and can be used as a lawn substitute.
Snow-in-summer is easy to grow and drought-tolerant, once established.
In the Redlands area, it likes full morning sun with some afternoon shade. It will tolerate almost any soil, but the soil must be well drained. Regular watering promotes fastest growth, but if the soil is too wet too long, root rot might set in. This plant seems to have no serious problems other than root rot.
Snow-in-summer forms a slow-spreading, low mat, approximately 4 to 8 inches high, that can create a carpet filled with delicate white blooms. Cerastium tomentosum can be a beautiful and dependable groundcover and an indestructible choice for difficult sites.
You can plant seeds or make cuttings for snow-in-summer in spring or divide existing plants in spring or fall. Plants should be clipped back to 2 inches or mowed after blooming.
Some say that these plants are not long-lived. There are some snow-in-summer plants in Redlands that have lived more than 10 years.
Source: Joyce Dean, a member of the Garden and Floral Arrangers Guild
