Arenaria montana
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Arenaria_montana_2.jpg
| genus = Arenaria (plant)
| species = montana
}}
Arenaria montana, the mountain sandwort,{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17}} is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to mountainous regions of southwestern Europe, from the Pyrenees to Portugal.{{cite web
|url= http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/Extension/Woodys/CUGroundCoverSite/Arenaria%20montana.html
|title= CU Allstar Groundcovers! - Arenaria montana
|accessdate= 2008-04-30
|publisher= Cornell University
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080423061740/http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/Extension/Woodys/CUGroundCoverSite/Arenaria%20montana.html| archivedate= 23 April 2008 | url-status= live}} The Latin specific epithet montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains.Archibald William Smith {{google books|ahNMkgoNJ7IC|A Gardener's Handbook of Plant Names: Their Meanings and Origins|page=239}}
Description
Arenaria montana is an evergreen perennial growing {{convert|14|-|22|cm|0|abbr=on}} tall, with lanceolate or ovate green to grayish-green opposite leaves {{convert|10|-|30|mm|1|abbr=on}} in length.
From mid to late Spring it produces dense clumps of white to near-white flowers approximately {{convert|25|mm|0|abbr=on}} in diameter borne on cymes of 2 to 10 flowers each.
{{cite web
|url= http://www.wildgingerfarm.com/Arenaria.htm
|title= Arenaria
|accessdate= 2008-04-30
|publisher= Wild Ginger Farm (c)
|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080509123448/http://www.wildgingerfarm.com/Arenaria.htm
|archivedate= 9 May 2008
|url-status= dead
}}
|url= http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pd_d250.html
|title= Arenaria montana (Sandwort)
|accessdate= 2008-04-30
|publisher= BackyardGardener.com
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080513214536/http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pd_d250.html| archivedate= 13 May 2008 | url-status= live}}
Arenaria montana prefers well drained, sandy to sandy loam soils, of moderate (pH 5.5 to 7.5) acidity. It also prefers moist soils, as its shallow root system leaves it vulnerable to drought.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Arenaria montana|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/27019/Arenaria-montana/Details | accessdate=23 February 2020}}
References
{{Commons category|Arenaria montana}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4788952}}
Category:Flora of the Pyrenees
{{Caryophyllaceae-stub}}