Dianthus microlepis 'alba'

White-flowered cultivar of Dianthus microlepis, a perennial from the Caryophyllaceae family, whose type species originates from the mountains of Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula, where it grows on rocks and high-altitude lawns in sunny exposure, on well-drained mineral substrate.

It forms a very dense, rounded, and regular cushion, with remarkable compactness, hardly exceeding 5 to 8 cm in height. The foliage consists of very fine, bright green linear leaves, tightly packed together to give the tuft an almost mossy appearance. The white flowers, with slightly notched but barely fringed petals, open directly at the edge of the cushion on very short stems, creating an effect of a luminous sheet laid on the dense green foliage. This contrast between the pure whiteness of the flowers and the deep green of the cushion is the primary attraction of this cultivar.

In its natural habitat, the flowering of the type species extends from June to July. In cultivation, 'Alba' generally blooms in June.

It requires full sun exposure, a very well-drained, poor mineral soil, and good protection against winter moisture. A top choice plant for alpine rock gardens, troughs, and gravel gardens.