Cynanchica pyrenaica
squinancywort
Southwestern Europe (Pyrenees and adjacent mountains)
Overview
Cynanchica pyrenaica is a slender, tufted perennial of the bedstraw family, growing 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) tall from a woody-based rootstock. Stems are four-angled, wiry, and often spreading at the base to form low mats. The narrow, linear leaves are 0.2-0.8 inch (5-20 mm) long and arranged in whorls of four, sometimes with smaller leaves intermixed. Small funnel-shaped flowers, each with four spreading lobes, open pale pink to white and measure about 0.12-0.16 inch (3-4 mm) across, carried in loose terminal clusters through summer. The fruit is a small dry pair of nutlets. Plants are deciduous, dying back to the rootstock in autumn and regrowing in spring. Growth is slow, and the wiry stems stay short on exposed, dry sites. It is confined to thin, lime-rich soils and does not persist in damp or acidic ground.
Native Range
Native to the mountains of southwestern Europe, including the Pyrenees and neighbouring ranges. Grows on calcareous grassland, stony slopes, and rocky outcrops in well-drained, lime-rich soils, typically at montane elevations.Suggested Uses
Used in rock gardens, raised alpine beds, and trough plantings where lean, lime-rich, free-draining conditions occur. Spaced 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) apart, it forms low mats between stones. Its need for sharp drainage and intolerance of summer wet limit its use in general borders.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 8"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Flowers from June to August across most of its range. Individual clusters open over several weeks, with the overall flowering period lasting roughly 6-8 weeks. Bloom is earlier at lower elevations and later on high, exposed slopes. Hot, dry conditions shorten the flowering period.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pale pink to whiteFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun on thin, sharply drained, lime-rich soils of low fertility. Established plants tolerate extended dry periods and shallow stony ground. Wet or heavy soils cause the rootstock to rot, and shading by taller vegetation reduces flowering. The plant self-seeds modestly on open ground but spreads slowly. It is seldom cultivated and is most often grown in rock gardens or alpine collections where sharp drainage can be maintained.Pruning
Cut back dead stems in late autumn or early spring before new growth appears. No routine pruning is required during the growing season. Removing spent flower clusters limits self-seeding but is not needed for plant health.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons