Ballerina Lilac Thrift (Armeria pseudarmeria 'Ballerina Lilac')
Armeria pseudarmeria 'Ballerina Lilac'

Deciduous Perennial Mounded, Clump-Forming in the Plumbaginaceae Family
 
Buy Ballerina Lilac Thrift
Size Notes Price Availability
Tray of 10 4" pots Field $38.75 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4

A compact, evergreen sea thrift bred for extra-large lilac-pink flower globes on a tidy mound of blue-green, grass-like foliage.

'Ballerina Lilac' is a compact cultivar of Armeria pseudarmeria (Great Thrift), a species native to a small area of coastal Portugal. It forms a dense, evergreen cushion of narrow, blue-green, grass-like foliage roughly 8-12 inches tall and wide, topped in mid-to-late spring by unusually large, ball-shaped lilac-pink flower clusters on stiff stems, with sporadic repeat bloom into summer and early fall.

Like other sea thrifts, it prefers lean, dry, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade and struggles in rich or consistently wet ground. Individual flowers are fully bisexual; Armeria's heterostyly (a self-incompatibility system based on flower structure) does not make plants functionally male or female.

Pros

  • Large, showy lilac-pink flower globes, bigger than the common species
  • Blooms the first year from seed, with sporadic rebloom into fall
  • Evergreen, low-maintenance, and drought-tolerant once established
  • Deer resistant and attractive to bees and butterflies

Cons

  • Resents rich, consistently wet soil — prone to root/crown rot
  • Not native to North America (native to coastal Portugal), so it doesn't offer the ecological benefits of a true native planting
  • Individual flowers are small; best appreciated massed or up close
Highlights Bred for unusually large lilac-pink flower globes on a tidy, evergreen, blue-green mound — among the showiest-flowered sea thrifts.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 8 - 12 inches tall. 8 - 10 inches wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 5a - 9b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Deciduous, Dry, Full Sun, Medium, Non-Allergenic, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial
Bloom Period April to June, sporadic rebloom
Flower Color Lilac-pink
Foliage Color Blue-Green
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other lean-soil, drought-tolerant companions such as sedum, dianthus, lavender, and low ornamental grasses.

Photos of This with...

Ballerina Red Sea Thrift, Ballerina White Thrift
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 05/11 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 06/02
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

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