How to Plant and Grow Thrift

Also known as "sea thrift" or "sea pink," this tough perennial, hardy in Zones 3-9, promises wonderful spring color, especially when positioned at the front of a bed. Thrift (Armeria spp.) flowers range from red to pink to white, although they're perhaps most appreciated for their playful pom-pom shape. If you're planting thrift in a coastal garden, pair it with other salt-tolerant plants like columbine, dianthus, or ornamental grasses. The blossoms are also appealing as cut flowers.

This plant is native to coastal climates in Europe and North America—you'll see it growing wild on the sides of cliffs. The species Armeria maritima owes its name to those maritime climates and is different from moss phlox, also sometimes called thrift. The latter is a groundcover, while sea thrift grows in clumps.

With thrift's low mat of grassy green foliage, this plant looks good even when not in bloom.

Where to Plant Thrift

Because thrift thrives in harsh, rocky conditions, this low-growing plant adapts well to drought and drying winds and tends to be easy to grow. The perennial's ability to stand up to salt spray is another notable adaptation, allowing you to plant it in places that receive seawater sprays.

Thrift grows 6 to 12 inches tall and makes an attractive addition to coastal gardens, which have similar conditions to its natural habitat. It can work well in rock gardens, trough gardens, and containers. Plant it in a sunny spot with well-draining soil.

How and When to Plant Thrift

Prepare a garden bed in early spring and scatter thrift seeds on well-draining soil after the last frost of spring. Rake the soil lightly, but leave the seeds exposed to sunlight. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate, which can take as long as a month. While first-year plants won't bloom and only have foliage, they'll return the following year with flowers.

When planting nursery-grown thrift plants, prepare a bed of sandy soil or any other type of soil that delivers excellent drainage. There is no need to amend the soil for nutrients; thrift prefers poor soil. Dig a hole for each of the nursery plants slightly larger than its container and spaced 6 to 12 inches apart, depending on the size of the thrift variety. Place the plants in the holes at the same depth they were in their containers and backfill with soil, pressing down with your hands to remove air pockets. Water the area well.

Thrift Care Tips

Thrift is a low-maintenance plant that needs little care once it's established.

Light

Thrift prefers full sun for six to eight hours a day, which encourages the most flowers and dries out the plant after rain and watering. It can also tolerate part shade, but too much shade makes thrift's foliage lanky, and the plant bears fewer flowers.

Soil and Water

Make sure you provide thrift with well-drained soil because rot can be a problem when it stays too wet. Don't add organic matter when planting and don't use any fertilizer. If the soil is clay, add peat moss for improved drainage. Thrift grows in soil with all levels of pH.

New thrift plants need moderately moist soil until they're established, but they don't like soggy soil.

Temperature and Humidity

Thrift needs lots of sun, but the sun can come and go periodically throughout the day as long as it amounts to 6 to 8 hours daily. It grows well in hot weather. Drought-tolerant thrift tolerates most humidity levels, but an extended time of high humidity contributes to crown rot, which kills the entire plant.

Fertilizer

Don't fertilize thrift plants. For that matter, don't add organic matter to the soil when they are initially planted. The plant prefers poor soil. The only amendment needed might be peat moss if the soil doesn't drain well.

Pruning

Thrift foliage is evergreen throughout the winter, so it shouldn't be cut back then. In the spring, use hand pruners to remove any dead or damaged foliage.

Deadhead flowers as soon as they're finished blooming to encourage a second round of blossoms.

Pests and Problems

Thrift is mostly disease-free, and pests don't bother it. Threats to thrift come from too much moisture in the soil, causing crown rot or root rot. Rust can also be a problem.

How to Propagate Thrift

Thrift can be propagated by dividing the roots in the spring or fall. It can also be propagated by harvesting seed.

Division: Make thrift look lush and full by digging it up and dividing it, prompting the plant to produce new growth. The best time to divide the plant is early spring or early fall when it isn't actively blooming. Dig up a clump with a shovel and brush the soil off the roots with your hands. Pull apart the clump to make two or three new sections, each with a portion of roots and foliage. Replant the new sections immediately in moist prepared soil, spacing them 6 to 12 inches apart.

Seed: To harvest seeds from a thrift plant, leave several flowers on the plant until they dry completely. Collect them when they start to fall apart. There is no seed head; each tiny flower on the flower head produces a tiny, pale-brown seed. Rub the flower heads gently and then sift through the results to find the tiny seeds. They may still be inside the papery bracts that held them, but that is OK. They can be sown like that. Store them in a dark, cool place until needed.

In early spring, scatter the seeds in well-draining average or poor soil after the last frost, leaving the seeds exposed to sunlight. Don't cover them with soil, but rake the area lightly. Keep the soil moist (not wet) until the seeds germinate, which can take as long as a month. After the plants germinate, thin them to stand 6 to 12 inches apart, depending on the variety.

Types of Thrift

Armeria Pseudarmeria

Armeria pseudarmeria grows larger than sea thrift in all respects: Its leaves are wider, it springs up several inches taller, and the flowers are bigger. Zones 6-7

'Morning Star Deep Rose' Thrift

This variety of Armeria maritima has rich rose flowers that last a long time over a mound of grassy green foliage. It grows 6 inches tall. Zones 3-9

Pink Thrift

Armeria maritima 'Rosea' has medium-pink, ball-shaped blossoms that rise 6 to 8 inches above grassy green foliage. Remove old flowers to keep it blooming. Zones 3-9

'Ruby Glow' Thrift

Armeria maritima 'Ruby Glow' features deep pink flowers on 8-inch-tall stalks. Zones 3-9

White Thrift

Also known as 'Alba' thrift, this eye-catching variety bears pure-white blossoms on 8-inch-tall stems over grassy foliage. Keep in mind that the flowers don't last long. Zones 3-9

Thrift Companion Plants

Iris

Named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow, the iris comes in a rainbow of colors—and in many heights, too. All boast the classic, intricate flowers, which have three upright "standard" petals and three drooping "fall" petals, often in different colors. Check which species you've purchased before planting since some prefer alkaline soil while others like acidic soil. Zones 3-9

Catmint

Catmint is one of the toughest perennials you can grow. It's a proven performer during hot, dry weather, and the silvery foliage and blue flowers look great most of the season. As you might guess from the common name, catmint is a favorite of felines. They'll often roll around in the plants in delight. Zones 3-9