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A perennial of the Rubiaceae family, Galium arenarium is a species of the Atlantic coasts of Western Europe, mainly found on the French, Iberian, and British Isles coastlines. Strictly psammophilous, it is confined to fixed or semi-fixed maritime sands, grey dunes, and back dunes, where it withstands sea spray, summer drought, and the extreme poverty of substrates.
It forms dense, rounded, low, and compact clumps, 10 to 25 cm in height, with thin and numerous stems adorned with very narrow, linear, dark green, slightly shiny whorled leaves. In full bloom, the plant is covered with a multitude of small bright yellow to yellow-green flowers, gathered in tight glomerules that completely cover the top of the cushion, giving it a particularly dense and luminous appearance.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from May to July. In cultivation, it blooms at the same dates, often from the end of April in warm exposure.
In rock gardens, it requires a very well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil, in full sun, and easily tolerates prolonged drought once established. Its natural compactness and abundant yellow flowering make it particularly suited to seaside gardens and sunny mineral compositions.