Globularia repens is an uncommon alpine that is perfectly suited to the rock or scree garden. It spreads fairly quickly for such a small plant and makes a nice cushion display.
Globularia repens is the most common name in the nursery trade, but a few sites name it as Globularia repens ‘Nana’. I tried to find out if nana is really a different plant but it is still unclear to me. Pictures in the wild show a smaller form as well as a larger form. The latter has leaf growth that is not quite as tight and flower stocks that are taller. Many forms have flowers sitting just above the foliage and I think those are the true nana form. I suspect that the short version is the only one found in horticulture and for that reason the nana part of the name has been dropped.
It is a subshrub, making woody stems that root as they creep along the ground, allowing for easy propagation. The pictures here show my plant, which is grown from seed.
Oher common names include creeping globe daisy, Globularia nana, leather-leaf powder puff, dwarf globe flower and matted globe daisy.
Globularia repens
(glob-yoo-LAR-ee-uh REE-penz)
Life Cycle: subshrub
Height: 2cm (1in)
Bloom Time: summer
Natural Range: Pyrenees and in the southern Alps
Habitat: rocks, walls, crevices, crests in very stony places, both in limestone and siliceous soils
Synonyms: Globularia cordifolia, Globularia oscensis, Globularia borjae, Globularia nana
Cultivation of Globularia repens:
Light: full sun
Soil: variable, well drained
Water: dry
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4– 7
Propagation: seed, division, softwood cuttings
