Other Names:  Sea Pink

Description:

Tall stems with red globed flowers rise above mounded tuffs of deep green grass-like foliage; heat and drought tolerant, an excellent addition to borders, beds, containers and fresh-cut arrangements

Ornamental Features

Joystick Red Sea Thrift has masses of beautiful balls of red flowers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its tiny grassy leaves remain forest green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Joystick Red 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 should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Joystick Red Sea Thrift is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Joystick Red Sea Thrift will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity extending to 18 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 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 is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. 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.

Joystick Red 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 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.