Blanket Of Summer Snow

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum)

Snow-in-summer earns its name from the blooms that blanket plants in late spring to early summer. Leaves offer an eye-catching grey hue. This perennial withstands conditions that kill other plants: full sun and poor soil. Plants spread rapidly, covering upwards of 12 inches of ground annually

Quick Cerastium Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Chickweed, Snow-in-summer, Mouse eared chickweed, Alpine Chickweed, Common mouse ear.
Life Cycle: Hardy perennial. Winter Annual.
Height: 2 to 18 inches (5 to 45 cm). Mat forming. Tufts.
Native: Temperate regions.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 9.
Flowers: Species dependent: Early spring or/and summer.
Flower Details: Herbaceous. White. Small. Star-shaped.
Foliage: Grey, silver, green. Downy. Elliptical.
Sow Outside: Cover Cerastium seeds. Start of spring - before the last frost, or towards the end of autumn. Spacing 4 to 18 inches (10 to 45 cm).
Sow Inside: Germination time: one to two weeks. Temperature 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C). Seven or eight weeks in advance. Transplant outdoors following the last frost or in autumn.
Requirements: Full sunlight or light shade. Soil pH 6.0 to 7.0. Most soils, best results in moist ones. Cut back once flowering has completed. Divide after two or three years to maintain vigour. Propagate: by dividing in the spring in cool regions or the autumn in warmer climes. Cuttings can be taken in the early months of summer.
Miscellaneous: Attractive to many species of moths from the Coleophora genus