Ajania (Ajania pacifica 'Pink Ice')

Overview

Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ offers exceptional textural appeal to the garden, primarily due to its attractive, silver-margined foliage that shines throughout spring and summer. This mound-forming perennial, commonly referred to as Ajania, provides reliable ground coverage, making it a valued, low-maintenance structural plant. Gardeners appreciate the late burst of color provided by its autumn blooms.

This rhizomatous perennial, Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’, typically forms a dense mound, spreading slowly to create an attractive carpet of silver-edged leaves. While the late-season flowers are not as dramatic as florist chrysanthemums, they offer essential late-season interest when many other plants have finished flowering.

In suitable climates, Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ is easily established and maintained. Its tolerance for average soils, coupled with its striking coloration, makes it a versatile choice for borders, rock gardens, and general landscape accents where textural contrast is desired.

Fast Facts

• Plant Family: Asteraceae
• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5-9
• Size at Maturity:
  • Height: 0.75-1.5 ft
  • Spread: 1-3 ft
• Bloom Time: October
• Bloom Description: Light pink rays with yellow centers
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
• Water Needs: Medium
• Maintenance Level: Medium

How to Grow

Plant Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. While it appreciates full sun, providing some afternoon shade in very hot summer locations helps prevent leaf scorch and maintains vibrancy. This plant is forgiving and tolerates poorer soils, provided excellent drainage is maintained throughout the year.

Watering should be consistent; aim for medium moisture levels, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. A critical aspect of caring for Ajania is avoiding wet soils, especially during the winter months, as saturation in cold weather can prove fatal to the roots.

To encourage a denser, more robust growth habit and keep the plant looking tidy, gardeners can pinch back taller stems in early summer. For those growing Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ in the colder end of its range (Zone 5), offering winter protection can improve survival rates.

Landscape Uses

Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ excels in applications where low-growing texture is required near the front of a border or cascading over the edge of a retainer wall. Its excellent ground cover habit makes it a fantastic choice for filling gaps between larger perennials or shrubs.

Consider using this Ajania cultivar in rock gardens, capitalizing on its hardiness and tolerance for leaner soils. Furthermore, its attractive, silvery-margined foliage makes it a superb candidate for containers, often paired with plants that offer contrasting shades of dark green or deep purple.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Showy

Noteworthy Characteristics

Ajania pacifica, sometimes commonly called gold and silver chrysanthemum, is native to central and eastern Asia. It is a mound-forming, rhizomatous perennial that is noted for its attractive variegated foliage in spring and summer. ‘Pink Ice’ typically forms a dense foliage mound to 18” tall that spreads by rhizomes to as much as 36” wide, serving as an excellent ground cover featuring lobed, ovate, silver-margined leaves. Flowers with short, light pink petals and yellow centers bloom in branched corymbs in fall.

Tolerances

• No serious insect or disease problems

Potential Problems

This Ajania cultivar is generally noted for its resistance to serious insect pests and common garden diseases. Good cultural practices, particularly ensuring excellent soil drainage to prevent root rot, are the best preventative measures against issues. Monitor for slugs or snails if planting in very moist, shaded areas, although this is rare for healthy, established plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Ajania suitable for?

Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9.

How large does Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ grow?

This plant typically reaches a height between 0.75 and 1.5 feet tall with a spread ranging from 1 to 3 feet wide at maturity.

What sun exposure does Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ need?

It performs best in full sun but appreciates relief provided by part shade, especially during the hottest part of the afternoon.

When does Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ bloom?

The bloom time for this variety is October, featuring light pink rays with yellow centers.

Conclusion

Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ is a highly functional perennial offering wonderful silvery foliage interest and reliable late-season blooms. Incorporating Ajania into your landscape plan ensures you have textural contrast even as the growing season wanes. Before planting, verify that your climate falls within USDA Zones 5-9 and ensure the site offers the well-drained soil this plant requires.

Companion Planting

When selecting companions for Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’, focus on plants that share similar needs for medium moisture and good drainage, while providing contrasting textures or colors throughout the summer. Low-growing sedums or creeping thyme work well near the edges of rock gardens where Ajania is planted.

In border foregrounds, pair the silver-grey foliage of Ajania with deep purple or dark blue flowering plants that bloom earlier in the season, such as hardy asters or late-blooming salvias. This contrast allows the foliage of the Ajania to truly stand out before its own October flowers appear.

Design Ideas for Low Grounds

Utilize the spreading rhizomes of Ajania to naturally knit together larger drifts of low, mounding plants. It is excellent for softening the edges of pathways or patios where a neat, tidy appearance is paramount. Because Ajania pacifica ‘Pink Ice’ exhibits moderate spreading, ensure you give it adequate space on the front of beds to achieve its full 3-foot spread.

The combination of silvery undersides and margins on the leaves ensures that the plant maintains visual interest even on breezy days. Consider planting it near slate or light-colored gravel paths to amplify the reflective quality of the silver foliage in bright sunlight.