Cerastium tomentosum

Common Name:
Snow-in-Summer

Description:
Cerastium tomentosum is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial prized for its silvery-grey foliage and masses of crisp white flowers that create a carpet-like effect in late spring to early summer. This hardy ground cover is especially valued for its soft, woolly leaves, which provide year-round texture and contrast beautifully against rocks, paving, and darker green foliage. In Melbourne, it performs best in a full sun position with very well-drained soil and is particularly well suited to rockeries, edging, dry borders, retaining walls, and gravel-style gardens. Once established, it is notably drought tolerant and requires very little maintenance, though a light trim after flowering can help keep it neat and encourage fresh growth. Cerastium tomentosum is best grown in open, sunny areas where it can spill naturally over edges and form a dense silver mat. It is an excellent choice for low-water gardens and for adding brightness to hot, exposed planting positions.

Form:
• Ground Cover
• Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:
• Height: 15–30 cm
• Width: 45–100 cm

Aspect:
• Full Sun

Flowering:
• Flowers in Spring
• Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:
• White

Key Attributes:
• Suitable for Pots
• Herbaceous
• Perennial
• Drought tolerant once established
• Suitable for rockeries
• Suitable for edging
• Silver foliage
• Evergreen to semi-evergreen in mild conditions
• Low maintenance
• Deer resistant
• May self-seed in favourable conditions

Toxicity:
Not generally regarded as toxic to humans or pets. As with most ornamental plants, ingestion may still cause mild stomach upset if consumed in quantity.

Companion Plants:
• Lavandula
• Nepeta
• Thymus serpyllum (Creeping Thyme)
• Erysimum
• Campanula
• Sedum
• Dianthus
• Iberis sempervirens