Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’
Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’ is a bold and compact evergreen perennial known for its striking deep red blooms and tidy, grass-like foliage. Flowering over a long period and ideal for dry, sunny spots, this vibrant sea thrift variety adds colour, texture, and year-round structure to borders, containers, rockeries, and gravel gardens. It’s low-maintenance, hardy, and perfect for both small and large garden spaces.
Quick Facts
Type: Evergreen perennial
Common Name: Sea Thrift, Sea Pink
Flower Colour: Deep red
Height: 40cm (1.3ft)
Spread: 30cm (1ft)
Flowering Time: May to June
Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -15 to -10 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H5)
Position: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained, sandy, gritty, or poor soil; avoid heavy or waterlogged conditions
Striking Deep Red Blooms
Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’ produces a profusion of rounded, button-like flowers in a rich crimson red. Held aloft on slender stems above its neat foliage, these blooms begin in late spring and continue into early autumn. Deadheading spent flowers encourages repeat blooming, keeping the plant looking fresh and vibrant for months.
Compact and Tidy Growth
This variety forms a neat, mound-shaped clump of evergreen leaves that resembles a small tuft of grass. Its compact habit makes it ideal for the front of borders, edging paths, filling rockeries, or adding pops of colour to troughs and containers. It spreads gently without becoming invasive, making it easy to manage.
Evergreen Foliage for Year-Round Interest
Even when not in flower, ‘Ballerina Red’ maintains a smart and attractive appearance thanks to its fine, grassy evergreen foliage. It adds valuable texture and form throughout winter, helping to keep garden spaces looking alive and structured.
Drought-Tolerant and Coastal-Hardy
Well-suited to dry, sun-drenched areas, Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’ thrives in poor, free-draining soil. It is highly tolerant of drought once established and copes well with coastal winds and salty air, making it an excellent option for exposed and difficult spots.
Loved by Pollinators
The bright red blooms are a valuable nectar source for bees and other pollinators. Incorporating this plant into borders or gravel gardens supports garden wildlife while also providing strong seasonal colour.
Growing Tips
Watering: Water thoroughly during the first season while the plant establishes. Afterwards, only water during prolonged dry spells.
Feeding: Little to no feeding is needed in garden beds. For container-grown plants, use a balanced liquid feed in early spring.
Pruning: Remove spent flowers regularly to promote continued blooming. Cut back untidy foliage in spring to refresh growth.
Potted: Grows very well in pots and containers using gritty, free-draining compost. Perfect for patios and small outdoor spaces.
Propagation: Can be divided in spring or autumn, or grown from seed.
Reliable and Easy to Grow
Fully hardy across the UK, Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’ is a tough and dependable plant that thrives with minimal care. It’s generally pest- and disease-free, making it an excellent choice for gardeners looking for reliable performance with very little upkeep.
Companion Planting Ideas
Create a colourful and drought-tolerant planting scheme by pairing ‘Ballerina Red’ with other low-growing sun-lovers such as:
These combinations provide season-long colour and texture while sharing similar growing conditions.
Why Choose Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’?
If you’re looking for a compact, colourful, and carefree perennial, Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’ is a brilliant choice. Its deep red flowers, evergreen foliage, and ability to thrive in poor soils make it perfect for a wide range of garden uses—from borders to balcony pots.
Choose Armeria ‘Ballerina Red’ to bring lasting colour, neat form, and low-maintenance appeal to your garden year after year.
Buying Alpines from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our alpines after flowering to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.
As a result, depending on the time of year you buy alpines, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email
orders@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
From late autumn onwards and dependant on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.
Alpines are a group of perennials that generally grow in rocky conditions at high altitudes.
As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.
It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.
By using this simple guide and a little time, alpines can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.
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