Perennial of the Plumbaginaceae family, native to the salty coasts and steppes of Central and Eastern Europe, from the eastern Mediterranean basin to Central Asia. In its natural habitat, it colonizes salt meadows, coastal mudflats, halophytic steppes, and sandy or clayey soils with high salt content, in full sunlight.
The plant forms a low, compact basal rosette of small spatula-shaped to oval, dark green, leathery leaves, reminiscent in shape of daisies — hence its epithet bellidifolium. From this rosette, very thin, highly branched, almost filiform, reddish stems rise at flowering time, reaching 15 to 20 cm, spreading out in an airy cloud. The tiny flowers, pale lilac pink to lavender, are borne in large numbers on these slender branches, creating a particularly striking airy and delicate effect.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from June to August. In cultivation, it occurs at the same dates.
A halophyte species, it tolerates some soil salinity and marked drought. It is cultivated in full sun, in very well-drained, poor, sandy or gravelly soil. Excellent for dry rock gardens and gravel gardens, it withstands summer heat.