Perennial of the Caryophyllaceae family, native to the Caucasus and adjacent mountainous regions. It inhabits rockeries, scree, and alpine meadows on well-drained substrates, often in sunny exposure.
It constitutes one of the neatest and tightest cushions that can be observed among rock garden plants. The tuft is hemispherical, firm, perfectly rounded, only 3 to 6 cm in height, but can reach about ten centimeters in diameter over the years. The leaves are linear, very short and very dense, a bright and luminous green, arranged in tight starlets that give the cushion surface a finely speckled texture, almost velvety to the eye.
It is primarily for this foliage that the plant attracts attention, its compact dome shape and clear color contrasting effectively with the surrounding mineral substrates. The flowers are small, white, few in number. In its natural habitat, flowering extends from June to July.
It requires very well-drained, mineral soil, in full sun. Sensitive to excess winter moisture, it is best placed in an elevated rockery or trough, where its cushion can develop without competition and fully reveal the precision of its form.