Paronychia kapela
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Illecebrum kapela
- Phonetic Spelling
- par-on-ih-CHEE-ah kah-PEL-ah
- Description
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Nailwort is a durable, flowering subshrub in the carnation family native to the Mediterranean. It is a low-growing plant that will reach just a few inches high at maturity. It has narrow, silver leaves and small greenish-white flowers with silvery bracts that bloom from the summer into fall. The small leaves will turn copper in the fall, but return to green in the spring.
Site Nailwort in full sun with well-drained soil. It will tolerate a range of soil types, except clay, and once established, will be drought tolerant. However, the roots do not do well in wet soil.
Nailwort is a mat-forming, spreading plant that can form an alpine, moss-like, evergreen groundcover. In some ways, it resembles Creeping Thyme.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Paronychia
- Species:
- kapela
- Family:
- Caryophyllaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Countries surrounding the Mediterranean
- Distribution:
- Introduced into Germany
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small, greenish-white flowers surrounded by dry, papery bracts. Blossoms in summer into the fall.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Small, narrow, silver or greyish-green lanceolate leaves. Turn copper in the fall, but return to greyish-green with the spring.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
