Convolvulus althaeoides

Perennial of the Convolvulaceae family, this species is native to the Mediterranean basin, where it is found from the Iberian Peninsula to the Near East, including southern France, Italy, Greece, and North Africa. It colonizes scrublands, rocky slopes, sunny wastelands, roadsides, and dry, stony grounds, from sea level to submontane levels.

It is a climbing or creeping plant, with twining and flexible stems, which can extend over 50 to 100 cm, willingly clinging to neighboring bushes or running on the rocky ground. The foliage is particularly remarkable: the lower leaves are hastate to slightly lobed, while the upper leaves, closer to the flowers, are deeply cut into narrow and fine lobes, almost filiform, of a grayish to silvery green, softly velvety to the touch. This foliar variation on the same individual is one of the most characteristic traits of the species.

The funnel-shaped flowers, 3 to 5 cm wide, are bright pink to bright magenta pink, with a paler center. In its natural habitat, flowering extends from April to July. In cultivation under temperate climates, it occurs from May to August.

It requires perfectly drained soil, poor to moderately fertile, and full sun exposure. Not very hardy in cold climates, it is grown in rock gardens or pots in regions with harsh winters.