Tiny white flowers, barely an eighth of an inch across, gather in fingernail-sized panicles above blue-green leaves that crawl over bare rock. Strapwort (Corrigiola) is a tough ground cover for poor, stony places, its dried root a traditional Moroccan remedy; give it sharp drainage and it will clothe terrain where little else roots.
| Name | Corrigiola species |
|---|---|
| Family | Caryophyllaceae |
| Type | perennial ground cover |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil type | poor, well-draining |
| Height | 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) |
| Flowering | spring and summer |
Though not a strikingly beautiful plant, it flowers in a cute manner and is said to have certain therapeutic properties.
This plant essentially fends for its own when given space. It will cover rocky terrain even when there isn’t much soil on it.
It thrives in sandy soil that drains very well. Strapwort isn’t hardy at all.
Four main varieties can be found, essentially around the Mediterranean area in countries such as Spain, Southern France and Italy on the Northern coast and Morocco and Tunisia on the Southern coast:
Corrigiola litoralis is more common in Europe, reaching up to the United Kingdom (where it is now an endangered species), whereas Corrigiola telephiifolia is more common in Northern Africa.
Four species share the strapwort name, but only two of them are described in any detail, and they want opposite kinds of ground. This table sets out what the article says about each, so you can match the species to the spot you have.
| Species | Ground it prefers | Where it is found |
|---|---|---|
| Corrigiola litoralis | Moist but well-draining sandy riverbanks | Europe, reaching the United Kingdom, where it is now endangered |
| Corrigiola telephiifolia | Rocky and dry terrain; flower stalks also bear leaves | More common in Northern Africa |
| Corrigiola imbricata | Not detailed in the article | Mediterranean area: Spain, southern France, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia |
| Corrigiola verticillata | Not detailed in the article | Mediterranean area: Spain, southern France, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia |
Whichever of the four you grow, sharp drainage and full sun are the shared requirement.
Dried strapwort root is a traditional remedy in Morocco, among others for cosmetics. In North Africa, Corrigiola is called “Sarghina“. Folk use for Corrigiola includes treating for the flu, cough, jaundice and certain skin problems. Normal strapwort use has been proven to not be toxic, but at higher doses risks appear, so don’t exceed doses recommended by traditional practice.
When in powder form, Corrigiola burns much like incense. Strapwort releases a pleasant scent in incense burners.
Note: Corrigiola is distinct and different from Saponaria (commonly called soapwort), another similar-looking plant that is used to make soap.
This rather resilient plant comes from the same family as Dianthus, but Corrigiola flowers are almost exclusively white. Leaves are blue-green in color.
It crawls along the ground like Portulaca or purslane, but develops roots that are much stronger and more woody, typical of a taproot-like plant.
The flowers are truly tiny, sometimes no larger than an eighth of an inch (2-4 mm) across. They’re clustered in small fingernail-sized panicles.
Strapwort is a slow grower. Remove neighboring weeds often or it will quickly be crowded out by fast-growing weeds!
Use mineral mulch to cover the ground around it and keep new weeds from popping up.
Credits for images shared to Nature & Garden (all edits by Gaspard Lorthiois):
Corrigiola strapwort flower by Len Worthington ★ under © CC BY-SA 2.0
