Blue cushion perennials that provide a carpet of flowers on dry stone walls or in the rock garden. They are easy to care for and relatively undemanding.
The blue cushion (Aubrieta), is a cruciferous plant and gets its name from the color of the flowers and the fact that they stretch over the ground like a soft cushion. It is mainly used for planting in rock gardens. As a perennial ground cover, the blue cushion is also very well suited when larger areas are to be planted permanently.
Blue Pillow - origin and homeland
The blue cushion actually has its origins in the Near East and in the Mediterranean area. Here it stretches over wide areas and transforms them into a real sea of flowers. In the meantime, the perennial also feels particularly at home in Germany and finds very good bases for growth here. The flowers are often blue or dark purple in colour. However, the blue cushion can also have flowers that are red or white. When looking for planting opportunities, care should be taken not to select the star-haired blue cushion. This belongs to the same family, but the flowers are not as rich and profuse.
Planting blue cushions - the right location
The blue cushion can be found particularly often in the rock garden. This is because the plant prefers drained and calcareous soil and also needs a sunny to partially shaded spot. Rock gardens usually have a gravel bed. This ensures that the soil does not get soaked, but rather stays dry to moderately moist.
It can also be interesting to use the blue cushions on natural walls or to decorate steps with them. But in this case it is better not to use seedlings, but to work with seeds. If the blue cushions are to grow on the ground around the stones, seedlings can also be used very well. However, the soil should be dug up first.
Blue Pillow - 7 planting tips
Blue cushions are basically quite undemanding, but only form the desired wide carpet if the conditions are right. The following points ensure that the blue cushions have an easy time growing wide and dense:
- Per square meterabout ten plants should be planted.
- The location should definitely have a lot of sun.
- If cuttings are used, they are planted with the peat soil.
- If seeds are sown, they should be protected from birds with fleece.
- Hard soil should be dug up and mixed with mulch or sand.
- Blue pillows don't need fertilizer.
- After flowering, the plants are cut down.
Even if the blue cushion doesn't need to be fertilized, it appreciates rotten compost. Especially in spring, when it is about to bloom, it is a very good addition to the care.
Particularly popular varieties
Blue Pillow 'Blue Tit' (Aubrieta x cultorum 'Blue Tit')
| Blue Pillow 'Blue Tit' (Aubrieta x cultorum 'Blue Tit') | |
|---|---|
| Flowering: | April to May |
| Growth: | 8 - 10 cm |
| Growth: | 25 - 30 cm |
| Special Features: | colorful, willing to bloom, bee-friendly, hardy |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | well drained, fresh, stony, sandy |
Blue Pillow 'Hamburger Stadtpark' (Aubrieta x cultorum 'Hamburger Stadtpark')
| Blue Pillow 'Hamburger Stadtpark' (Aubrieta x cultorum 'Hamburger Stadtpark') | |
|---|---|
| Flowering: | April to May |
| Growth: | 5 - 10 cm |
| Growth: | 25 - 30 cm |
| Special Features: | very floriferous, bee-friendly |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | dry to fresh, well drained, nutritious, calcareous |
Bluecushion 'Silberrand' (Aubrieta x cultorum 'Silberrand')
| Bluecushion 'Silberrand' (Aubrieta x cultorum 'Silberrand') | |
|---|---|
| Flowering: | April to May |
| Growth: | 8 - 10 cm |
| Growth: | 20 - 30 cm |
| Special Features: | dense cushions, leaves with white margins |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | fresh, well drained, loamy sandy |
Increase Blue Pillows
If the blue cushion starts well, not much has to be done for a dense carpet of flowers. Through the foothills the growsplant in width. If you want to multiply blue cushions, this is best combined with pruning. Here cuttings are taken and placed in a pot. This is previously prepared with a substrate. The substrate consists of peat or sand. The seedlings are raised with little water at temperatures around 20°C. As soon as roots have formed, repotting can be carried out.
Water the blue pillow properly
The soil in which the blue cushion grows, must not be too moist. If it is soaked, mold will quickly form on the roots and the plants will die. However, the soil should not be too dry either. If a long dry season develops over the summer months, the plants should be watered by hand. It is important to ensure that the soil is not soaked through.
Diseases and pests on the blue cushion
One of the reasons why the blue cushion is one of the most popular plants is its resistance to pests. There are neither diseases nor pests known that can affect the blue cushion.
Winter blue pillow
Even if the blue cushion likes it sunny, it is still a plant that is quite hardy. In principle, it can tolerate temperatures of down to -15° without further protection. If the temperatures drop even lower, brushwood is recommended as a cover to avoid frost damage.