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spreading sandwort

Scientific Name: Arenaria lanuginosa ssp. lanuginosa var. lanuginos

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Spreading Sandwort (Arenaria lanuginosa)

Arenaria lanuginosa, commonly known as spreading sandwort, is a low-growing plant belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family.

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant has low growth habits and may be grown in garden beds as ground cover or along pathways.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Arenaria lanuginosa (Michx.) Rohrb.
  • Common Name: Spreading Sandwort
  • Family: Caryophyllaceae
  • Synonyms: Arenaria patula Michx. (for Minuartia patula)
  • Subspecies:
    • Arenaria lanuginosa subsp. lanuginosa
    • Arenaria lanuginosa subsp. saxosa (A. Gray) Maguire
  • Varieties:
    • Arenaria lanuginosa var. lanuginosa
    • Arenaria lanuginosa var. saxosa

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to the southern U.S. and found as far south as Peru.
  • Observed near the summit of Volcan Baru in Panama.
  • Also found in Arizona and Arkansas.
  • Habitat includes avalanche clearings and spruce-fir forests, such as those found at higher elevations (e.g., 10,000 ft on Bear Jaw Trail, Kachina).

Morphology and Growth Habits

  • Grows to about six inches tall and spreads about 12 inches wide.
  • Forms a prostrate, neatly spreading mat.
  • Mountain sandwort (Arenaria montana), a related species, bears one-inch white blossoms.
  • "Avalanche" forms a prostrate, neatly spreading mat of tiny, lance-shaped leaves.
  • Corsican Sandwort forms a dense mat to 3 inches tall, spreading to 12 to 18 inches wide.
  • Blunt-leaf Sandwort spreads primarily vegetatively through rhizomes, often forming a dense tangle of plants.
  • Known to have white 5 petal flowers.

Ecological Role

  • Can be grown in the garden year-round.
  • Found in sandy soils and will root and spread slowly to form a patch. Great for edging paths, between flagstones, in walls or rocks.

Further Information

  • Dave's Garden: A community sharing tips and ideas for gardens, along with seeds and plants.
  • Discover Life: Page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Arenaria lanuginosa.
  • Wikimedia Commons: Hosts media, such as images, related to Arenaria lanuginosa.
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plants Database.