DESCRIPTION: This variety forms an evergreen carpet covered with deep crimson and violet flowers in spring; makes a great addition to rock gardens and retaining walls, widely adaptable

BOTANICAL NAME: Aubrieta 'Royal Red'
OTHER NAMES: Royal Red False Rock Cress
AVERAGE MATURE HEIGHT: 10-15 cm
AVERAGE MATURE SPREAD: 30-60 cm
SUN EXPOSURE: Full sun to partial shade
FLOWER COLOUR: Crimson red to violet
FLOWERING TIME: Late spring to early summer
FOLIAGE COLOUR: Grey Green
COLD HARDINESS: Zone 3 ( Should survive up to -39.9° Celsius )
WATER NEEDS: Average
OTHER FEATURES: Attracts Butterflies, Deer Resistant, Groundcover, Rock Garden

Ornamental Features

Royal Red Rock Cress is smothered in stunning crimson cup-shaped flowers with violet overtones at the ends of the stems from mid spring to early summer. Its small tomentose round leaves remain grayish green in colour throughout the year. 

Landscape Attributes

Royal Red Rock Cress is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

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. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Royal Red Rock Cress is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Royal Red Rock Cress will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 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 10 years.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. 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.

Royal Red Rock Cress 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. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception.