How to Grow Common Aubrieta (Aubrieta Deltoidea)

Aubrieta makes a colorful splash in early spring. It is a mat-forming, evergreen perennial, and its flowers - in shades of purple (such as Purple Cascade) and blue (such as J.S. Baker) - cover the plant. It grows well in rockeries, at the top of a retaining wall or as an edging plant along a path.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Bypass Pruners
• Fertilizers
• Garden Hoses
• Garden Trowels
• Plants

Caring for Aubrieta

1. Keep the area around Abrieta well-drained by adding a light layer of gravel on top of the soil.

2. Shear the plant back after it blooms, using garden scissors or bypass pruners, and you may get another round of flowers in summer. Shearing also keeps the plant looking tidy.

Choosing Aubrieta

1. Shop for Aubrieta in nurseries in the spring when it's in bloom so that you can choose the right flower color.

2. Look for Aubrieta in 4-inch pots.

3. Look for healthy plants with no yellowing leaves at the center, which indicates overwatering.

Planting Aubrieta

1. Plant Aubrieta in a sunny spot in well-drained soil.

2. Add a little organic fertilizer to the planting hole.

3. Water weekly throughout the first spring and summer, but don't let it sit in soggy soil.