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Armeria maritima

Thrift · Marsh Daisy · Sea Cushion · Thrift Seapink

Family PlumbaginaceaeGenus Armeria

A tight globe of magenta-pink papery flowers dotted with yellow anthers, seen from above
FlowerDidier DescouensCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Ground Cover, Herbaceous Perennial, PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Height
0.5-2 ft15-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
0.5-1 ft15-30 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Pink, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Alaska, Aleutian Is., Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
4-8Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Dappled Sunlight; Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow RockyExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
4.7-7.5PLANTS Database
Moisture
Good Drainage, Very DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering
Drought tolerance: LowPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.

Worth knowing

  • Thrift appeared on the British threepence coin from 1937 to 1952. It tolerates copper in the soil at up to 6,400 mg/kg. Wikipedia: Armeria maritima

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to sowing. Then 20 days to germinate.

50% germination in 10–20 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22Public domain
Show the original text
Armeria (Plumbaginaceae). A. maritima seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(50% in 10-20 d) and 40-70D(50% in 2nd w). Germination was lower in fresh seeds which germ. 70D(15% in 2-6 w)-40-70D and 40-70D(38% in 3-20 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 23, 2026 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on December 22, 2025.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 15 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 14 days.

50% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22Public domain
Show the original text
Armeria (Plumbaginaceae). A. maritima seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(50% in 10-20 d) and 40-70D(50% in 2nd w). Germination was lower in fresh seeds which germ. 70D(15% in 2-6 w)-40-70D and 40-70D(38% in 3-20 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 16, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 20 days.

38% germination in 3–20 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22Public domain
Show the original text
Armeria (Plumbaginaceae). A. maritima seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(50% in 10-20 d) and 40-70D(50% in 2nd w). Germination was lower in fresh seeds which germ. 70D(15% in 2-6 w)-40-70D and 40-70D(38% in 3-20 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 42 days.

15% germination in 14–42 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22Public domain
Show the original text
Armeria (Plumbaginaceae). A. maritima seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(50% in 10-20 d) and 40-70D(50% in 2nd w). Germination was lower in fresh seeds which germ. 70D(15% in 2-6 w)-40-70D and 40-70D(38% in 3-20 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Armeria p. 22. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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