Arenaria 'Wallowa Mountains'

Perennial of the Caryophyllaceae family, this cultivar or selected form takes its name from the Wallowa Mountains, an isolated massif in northeastern Oregon, in the Great Basin mountain range of the western United States. This region, with harsh winters and dry, bright summers, harbors an original alpine flora still little exploited in specialized horticulture. The parent species likely belongs to the complex of North American cushion areneries, close to Arenaria aculeata or related forms.

It forms a dense, low, and well-defined cushion, 3 to 8 cm in height, with narrow, rigid leaves of a deep green, arranged in tight tufts along finely branched and lignified stems at the base. The habit is neat, compact, without a tendency to disorderly spreading, making it particularly suitable for miniature compositions and troughs.

The flowers are white, with five petals, produced abundantly over the entire cushion, creating a snow-like vegetative effect characteristic of the genus. In its natural habitat, flowering extends from June to August depending on exposure and altitude. In cultivation, it generally occurs in May-June.

It requires full sun, impeccable drainage, a poor to moderately fertile mineral substrate, and withstands summer drought well, which distinguishes it favorably from some more demanding European areneries in terms of freshness. However, protection against stagnant winter humidity is still recommended.