Culture
Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers sandy loams. Avoid excessively moist soils. Plants are self-fertile and will naturalize over time in favorable growing conditions.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Herniaria hirsuta, commonly called hairy rupturewort, a somewhat inconspicuous, low-growing annual that is native from central to southern Europe. Genus name and common name both relate to a formerly held belief that this plant was a medically effective remedy in the treatment of hernias. It has been introduced into North America with naturalization having now occurred in some parts of the U.S. (Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Maryland). Everything about this plant is diminutive. It is a low-growing, trailing to mat-forming, stiffly-hairy annual that typically rises to only 1-2" tall but spreads along the ground to 6-8" on branched prostrate stems clad with dense, stalkless, elliptic to oblanceolate, tiny, pale green leaves (each to 1/3" long). Inflorescence is an axillary cyme containing 3-8 tiny yellowish-green flowers (each to 1/15" wide) which bloom from late spring to mid-summer. Cymes are clustered along the stems.
Genus name comes from hernia meaning a rupture for which the plant was once supposed to treat.
The specific epithet comes from the Latin word hirsutus meaning hairy.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Beds. Rock gardens. Ground cover for spring bulbs.