Species snow-in-summer
White flowers with yellow center, yellow filaments and anthers, lime-green stems, and green leaves

snow-in-summer

Cerastium tomentosum

Also Known As - Dusty Miller
The snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) is a stunning evergreen subshrub. It is a low-growing perennial that displays a lovely carpet of white flowers and bright green foliage in the summer. This is what gives it its name. It is an excellent choice for adding texture to the garden, and its white flowers will add a tremendous amount of contrast to a garden. The lovely foliage is deer and rabbit resistant, and it is reasonably drought tolerant. It is versatile and easy to grow, making it an ideal choice for beginner gardeners. All in all, it is an amazing plant that blooms for weeks and is a great addition to any garden.

Cycle:

Herbaceous Perennial

Watering:

Minimum

Propagation:

Division,Cutting,Seed Propagation,Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

3 - 7

Flowers:

White Flowers

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Soil:

Rocky , gravelly , dry, Well-drained

Fruits:

Fruits Ready In

Edible:

Yes

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

silver,green

Growth Rate:

High

Maintenance:

Moderate

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Thorny:

Yes

Invasive:

Yes

Care Level:

Easy

watering

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) should be watered when soil is dry to the touch up to 1 inch below the surface. It is best to water deeply but less often, such as once or twice a week in summer and once every 10 days in the cooler months. When watering, make sure to soil is evenly moist, but never soggy or soaked in water.

sunlight

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) needs partial to full sun exposure throughout the day, in order to thrive. It prefers 4-6 hours of direct sunlight each day, preferring more shade in the hottest part of the day, during the middle of summer. Early morning and late afternoon/early evening sun exposure this species enjoys the most as these hours typically provide increased humidity and protection from intense heat and sunlight. Snow-in-summer should not be planted in an area that has less than 4 hours of sunlight each day as this can lead to lower quality blooms and unable to compete with competing plants in the area.

pruning

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) should be pruned lightly in late winter (December to February) to remove any damaged or dead foliage, as well as remove any woody-looking stems to promote new growth. To promote dense, bushy growth, lightly prune the plant in late summer or early fall, cutting parts of the plant back down to almost ground level. This light pruning helps to promote blooming in the upcoming spring.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Snow-in-summer typically starts flowering in May or June.

Starts Flowering

Snow-in-summer typically starts flowering in May or June.

Harvest Fruit

The harvesting of Cerastium tomentosum (snow-in-summer) typically begins in June and continues through August.

Hardiness Map