perennial

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort

Arenaria montana 'Lemon Ice'

Add To My Plant List

 
Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria montana 'Lemon Ice') at Lurvey Garden Center

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort flowers

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  2 inches

Flower Height:  4 inches

Spread:  12 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  2

Description:

An attractive little alpine plant which forms a low evergreen cushion of gray-green foliage; bears loads of large lemon yellow flowers later in spring through early summer; perfect for edging paths, or rock gardens

Ornamental Features

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort is bathed in stunning lemon yellow cup-shaped flowers with chartreuse eyes held atop the stems from early spring to early summer. Its small grassy leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. 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 only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort will grow to be only 2 inches tall at maturity extending to 4 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 5 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 prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in 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. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. 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.

Lemon Ice Mountain Sandwort is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Edging  Garden  Groundcover  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Texture  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features