Perennial cushion plant of the Plumbaginaceae family, native to the mountainous regions of the Caucasus and eastern Anatolia, where it grows on arid rocky slopes, limestone screes, and exposed cliffs, between 1500 and 3000 meters altitude.
It forms dense and prickly cushions, rarely taller than 10 to 20 cm, consisting of linear, rigid, and sharp leaves, evergreen, from grey-green to bluish-grey. This spiny cushion architecture is a typical adaptation to the windy and dry conditions of high mountains.
The flowers, pink to bright pink, are grouped in short, upright spikes that emerge above the cushion. They feature a membranous calyx, persisting after flowering, characteristic of the genus Acantholimon , which gives the plant a prolonged decorative appearance even after the petals have fallen.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from June to August depending on altitude. In cultivation, it generally blooms in June-July, provided it is placed in full sun on very well-drained soil, preferably limestone.
Its cultivation requires a warm exposure and dry soil: it poorly tolerates stagnant winter humidity.