Perennial of the Caryophyllaceae family, native to the mountains of southern Europe, from the Alps to the Apennines and the Balkans. It occupies rocky lawns, stabilized scree, rock crevices, and sunny stony slopes, generally between 800 and 2,200 meters in altitude, on well-drained calcareous or siliceous substrates.
It forms dense and rounded tufts, very branched, with a bushy and regular habit that can reach 10 to 15 cm in height and much more in width. Its foliage consists of extremely fine, almost hair-like linear leaves, dark green and persistent, giving the plant, when not in bloom, the appearance of a soft and compact cushion.
At the time of flowering, the tuft is literally covered with a cloud of small white five-petaled flowers, borne on fine peduncles that rise slightly above the foliage, creating a remarkable effect of lightness and profusion. In its natural habitat, flowering extends from June to August. In cultivation, it generally occurs from May to July.
It requires a very well-drained soil, poor to moderately rich, in full sun. It perfectly withstands summer drought and is resistant to cold. An excellent plant for walls, rock gardens, and gravel gardens, where it spreads generously without ever becoming invasive.