About Aubrieta deltoidea (L.) DC.
Aubrieta deltoidea (L.) DC. is a flowering plant species belonging to the mustard family. Its common names are lilacbush, purple rock cress, and rainbow rock cress. It is suitable for growing in USDA hardiness zones 4a through 9b. The species is native to southeastern Europe, but it is cultivated as an ornamental plant across the world, and grows wild in some regions as a garden escapee. This is a small herbaceous perennial that grows into low carpets of foliage. Its leaves are green, ranging from spoon-shaped to oval-shaped, and some leaves are lobed. Its showy inflorescence holds small flowers, each with four petals that range from lavender to deep pink in color. The fruit it produces is an inflated, hairy silique that can reach up to two centimeters in length. In cultivation, A. deltoidea is grown as groundcover, in rock gardens, or in crevices in walls. It produces large masses of brightly colored flowers in spring. Cultivated varieties of this plant are sometimes classified under the hybrid name A. × cultorum. These varieties are available in flower colors of lavender, rose, and lilac, and are often sold as mixed seed batches. Three cultivars of this plant have earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: 'Argenteovariegata', 'Doctor Mules', and 'Red Cascade'.
