acantholimon

 
This year, the Acantholimon hoehenackeri is looking very nice. I must admit that part of the initial allure was the name. I mean, how can you resist a name like that? It just rolls off the tongue. Ay-canth-o-lye-mon Hoe-hen-ack-er-eye (linguists forgive me, this wasn't meant as a pronunciation guide, but a nice rolly drawing out of the beautiful name). The other aspect that attracted me was the common name: Prickly thrift. I figured that if it is indeed prickly, that the rabbits would leave it alone.

As I mentioned in a previous entry, I bought three plants, six years ago, from Agua Fria nursery in Santa Fe. Two of the plants were immediately mown to the ground by the bunnies. The third survived, growing larger every year on little more than rainfall alone, but not blooming. It bloomed for the first time after four years. It is now about a foot across and perhaps four inches tall. Blooms were dark last year, and more pale this year.

Of course, now I wish I had purchased a ton more (and protected them from the coniglio the first year). The leaves are indeed prickly. Where, as a seedling, I pushed my finger onto the leaf tips that only bent, now a similar action draws blood. I was pleased to find that there are a number of Acantholimon species (check out alpine plant nurseries such as Arrowhead Alpines).  Many of the species of this genus come from climates similar to that of Albuquerque, which is why this plant survives and blooms with so little care. Acantholimon hoehenackeri originates in in central Asia, most notably, Iran.