How to Plant, Grow, and Care for ‘Ballerina Red’ Armeria

In dry, temperate areas, gardeners look for border plants that shine from spring through fall. 'Ballerina Red' Armeria is the perfect candidate! Follow along as experienced gardener and master naturalist Sarah Jay details how to grow this carefree plant.

Gardeners along coastlines and in rockier areas sometimes struggle to find perennials that can handle all the salt spray and low soil nutrients. Armeria pseudarmeria is one choice that won’t promote a struggle or regret. As a first-year flowering perennial, this species is a great choice.

With numerous cultivars available, it can be hard to choose. But the striking ‘Ballerina Red’ armeria is preferred in areas that need a little extra color, and punctuated blooms from spring through summer. Walkways, borders, and edges are perfect places for these crimson blooms.

Armeria – regardless of the species or variety – is typically a low-maintenance plant, even in extreme conditions. The only thing to avoid is high fertility. Otherwise, these plants practically take care of themselves.
What Is It?
The most common armeria cultivated in North America is Armeria maritima. This plant and all members of the Armeria genus are commonly known as thrifts or sea pinks, alluding to their ability to pop off in harsh conditions. They are also called lady’s pincushions due to their rounded structure.

Armerias thrive in rough, rocky areas in and around the Mediterranean. This natural range has led them to become a favored plant for waterwise gardening in coastal and generally rough regions. Armeria pseudarmeria is no exception.

Characteristics
Most members of the Armeria genus have a similar structure. They are small, clumping evergreen plants with lance-shaped leaves. They have compound, ball-shaped blooms in varying colors, ranging from white to pink, all the way to deep purple and red. These have a full flush of flowers in spring, and then bloom sporadically through summer and fall.

Ballerina red armeria has deep red blooms and a stature that reaches under one foot tall, making it great for planting anywhere lower-stature plants fit in. Unlike other species, this armeria blooms in the first year, rather than the second. The fronds and blooms are salt and sun-tolerant, providing color through the elements in coastal areas.

Native Area
Armeria pseudarmeria is native to Portugal, along its rocky coastline. Seaside cliffs, rocky slopes, and salt marshes are its home. Thriving in areas that could be either consistently moist or completely dry, this plant takes the extremities like a champ.

Along its native range, A. pseudarmeria thrives in highly sunny sites with poor fertility. The marshes and coastal places this plant is from lack trees, and are therefore susceptible to intense winds, and unhindered sunlight.

‘Ballerina Red’armeria is a cultivated plant developed alongside other cultivars in the ‘Ballerina’ series. These were selected from the wilds of Portugal and introduced into gardens as xeriscaping became a more popular mode of gardening. ‘Red’ was a Fleuroselect Gold Medal awardee in 2009.

Planting
As mentioned, ‘Ballerina’ Red Armeria is perfect for garden borders, particularly in water-wise and xeriscaped gardens. Coastal gardens benefit from the salt tolerance and short stature that enables them to withstand high winds. In-ground plantings should have rocky or sandy soils, whereas container plantings should have soil with excellent drainage.

Transplanting
Dig a hole in your container or garden bed that is just as deep and twice as wide as your ‘Ballerina’ transplant. Remove it from its nursery pot, and gently loosen the roots.

Then place it in the hole and backfill, ensuring the soil is in line with the crown. In containers, provide a well-draining soil that is slightly sandy. In the ground, look for a sandy or rocky spot.
Because ‘Ballerina’ Red Armeria has a wild home in rugged regions, the roots are not very deep. That makes selecting a container more contingent upon how wide your plant is. Find one that’s a couple of inches wider than the clumps you’re planting.

How to Grow
You don’t have to wait long for your ‘Ballerina’ Red Armeria to flower because it blooms in the first year. Keep the plants in the right conditions, and they will thrive.
Maintenance
‘Ballerina’ Red Armeria doesn’t self-seed vigorously, but it can spread out. Divide yours in spring to grow them in other areas of the garden. After the first frost, they’ll die back and can be cut to the ground, but this is only necessary if you want to keep the garden looking tidy.

Deadhead after they bloom in spring and summer. After they finish flowering in fall, you can collect seeds for growing next season. Wait until the flower heads have browned completely. Remove the flower heads and extract the seeds. Then plant them a couple of months ahead of your last frost in spring.

Propagation
The best way to propagate your ‘Ballerina‘ Reds is through division. Seed is a close second option. Both are very easy! Try them out and determine which is best for you. Propagation by cuttings is yet another way to cultivate more of these plants.