Gypsophila sphaerocephala

[McDonough]

I received seed of Gypsophila sphaerocephala back in 1999 from HBG, the botanic garden in Gothenburg Sweden. For 13 years, it has been growing in this semi-plunged pot, exposed to all weather. It is virtually a sub-shrub, a tiny woody cushion, with very fine leaves.  It was collected from Ala Dag, Turkey, 2800 m.  Every year it sends up a few flower stalks with microscopic flowers, an utter disappointment in the flower department.  I have tried to photograph it in the past years, but the flowers are so insignificant that it is impossible to photograph, not that it is worth photographing.  So, my take on this plant is, it makes an excellent cushion, it is totally easy and hardy, but so far as flowers go, forget about it. 

[Lori S.]

If a quick internet search is any indication, yours may be the one of the few accessible photos of a live plant!  Interesting, even if not a traffic-stopper.

[RickR]

Nice blue foliage, too. 

This one produces more flowers, but still not very show, in my opinion.

Gypsophila bungeana

          

[McDonough]

Thanks Rick, the basal foliage of G. bungeana does indeed look somewhat similar with its fine grassy foliage, very different than what one typically thinks of being a baby's breath.  In that species, the flowers are about 100x bigger than they are in G. sphaerocephala

[Kelaidis]

I remember once when I told my father he should check out some plants in my rock garden, he came out with a magnifying glass (he was quite the comedian): in your gypsophila's case, that would have been sensible!

[McDonough]

I remember once when I told my father he should check out some plants in my rock garden, he came out with a magnifying glass (he was quite the comedian): in your gypsophila's case, that would have been sensible!

In the case of this Gypsophila, a microscope would be better than a magnifying glass