Carlina acaulis

Perennial of the Asteraceae family, Carlina acaulis is widely spread in the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, from the Pyrenees to the Carpathians, including the Alps and the Apennines. It colonizes dry calcareous grasslands, high-altitude pastures, and rocky heaths, generally between 500 and 2,500 meters.

Close to Carlina acanthifolia, it is distinguished by a more modest size and the presence, in some forms, of a short floral stem that can reach 20 to 30 cm, although the plant often remains almost stemless. The rosette of spiny, deeply lobed, grayish-green leaves spreads flat on the ground over 20 to 40 cm in diameter. The central capitulum, 5 to 8 cm in diameter, is surrounded by silvery white internal bracts with pearly reflections, remarkably bright in the sun.

Long used in folk medicine as a tonic and diuretic, the stemless carline was also hung on the doors of Alpine farms, its bracts serving as a natural barometer: they open in fair weather and close at the approach of rain.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from July to September. In cultivation, flowering occurs at the same times.

It requires well-drained soil, poor to moderately fertile, preferably calcareous, in a fully sunny exposure. Robust once established, it does not tolerate heavy soils or persistent moisture in winter.