Perennial of the Caryophyllaceae family, native to the Caucasus and adjacent mountainous regions of Western Asia. It grows on rocks, rocky slopes, and sunny screes, in conditions of good drainage and prolonged sunlight.
It forms low, dense clumps of 10 to 20 cm, from a branched woody base. The stems are numerous, upright to ascending, bearing lanceolate-spatulate leaves, slightly pubescent, of a strong medium green. The foliage remains compact and dense, making it an effective ground cover plant in rock gardens.
The flowers are bright pink to true magenta-pink, borne on rather slender reddish stems, with deeply bifid petals and an elongated, tubular, striated calyx tinged with red. The particularly intense color of the flowers is one of the most immediately striking characteristics of the species in cultivation.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from July to September. In cultivation, it is known for blooming late and generously, extending the season in the rock garden until autumn. It requires a well-drained substrate, in full sun, and proves hardy and undemanding once established. It reseeds moderately.