The Mandevilla has many varieties, and all of these vining tropical flowers are showy and gorgeous. The Mandevilla vine, also known as the rock-trumpet, is gaining in popularity, and you can find them in stock at most garden centers throughout the United States.

The vigorous growth of the Mandevilla makes it an excellent addition to any summertime garden. Use the Mandevilla vine to bring some color to your gazebo, patio, or over doorways. The Mandevilla is a hardy plant, and it survives winter conditions without any hassle.

Mandevilla Quick Facts

About Mandevilla Plants

The Mandevilla vine got its moniker from the late Henry Joseph Mandeville, a British diplomat, and avid gardener. Gardeners will instantly recognize the Mandevilla vine by its brilliant, trumpet-shaped flowers, oval leaves with a glossy texture, and its enthusiasm for climbing.

Mandevilla vines enhance the visual of arches, pergolas, and they do well as potted plants trellised on the patio. This plant loves to climb, and it will reach the top of any trellis or pergola with ease.

Mandevilla is a low-maintenance plant during the height of the growing season. The Mandevilla bursts into bloom in the springtime, lasting through to the fall. This plant is an ideal companion for other large planters, or in flowerbeds.

One of the best features of the Mandevilla is that it attracts hummingbirds to the garden. Relax on your patio on a hot summer afternoon, and watch the hummingbirds sip away at the flower’s nectar.

Growing Mandevilla

Mandevilla loves growing in tropical climates, with plenty of sunlight, rain, and well-draining soil. Select the right planting location in your garden and prepare the soil before planting.

Soil Type

Ideal soil for Mandevilla plants is well-draining, loamy soil that is rich in nutrients like nitrogen and calcium. Providing the right soil conditions ensures that the plant receives adequate nutrition and water for proper growth and flowering.

When growing Mandevillas in containers or pots, using a compost potting mix is a good choice. This mix offers the necessary nutrient balance and drainage that the plant requires. Additionally, mixing perlite into the soil mix can help with water retention, ensuring that the plant receives consistent moisture without waterlogging the roots.

Sunlight Requirements

Mandevilla flowers are a true show-stopper. The beautiful shape and eye-pleasing color of the flowers complement the foliage of the plant. To ensure that your Mandevilla bloom to full potential, make sure you plant them in an area of the garden that receives plenty of indirect sunlight throughout the day.

While it’s more than possible to grow Mandevilla in the full sunshine, they seem to do better when they have a bit of shade to cool off under on a hot day. Gardeners should note that if they don’t give the Mandevilla the sun it needs, then they can expect the plant to flower poorly during the growing season.

Planting your Mandevilla in an area of the garden that receives morning sun, but has some shelter during the peak midday sun hours, helps to enhance growth and flowering in your Mandevilla. Gardeners must also ensure they tie down the Mandevilla to prevent strong winds from shifting and damaging the plant.

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• Appearance: Mandevilla sanderi is known for its showy, trumpet-shaped flowers that come in a range of colors including shades of pink, red, and white. The flowers often have a subtle fragrance that adds to their charm. The foliage is glossy and dark green, providing an attractive backdrop for the vibrant blooms.
• Growing Habit: This plant is a climbing vine that can reach heights of 6 to 10 feet or more. It uses tendrils to cling onto supports such as trellises, fences, or arbors. In tropical and subtropical regions, it can even be grown as a ground cover.
• Flowering Period: Mandevilla sanderi typically produces flowers from spring to fall, depending on the climate and growing conditions. The blooms appear in clusters and create a visually striking display against the lush green foliage.
• Uses: Mandevilla sanderi is used primarily for ornamental purposes. It adds a tropical and exotic flair to gardens, patios, balconies, and poolside areas. Its climbing habit makes it suitable for vertical gardening and creating living walls. It's also a popular choice for adding color and visual interest to outdoor spaces in warmer climates.
• Hassle-Free Service: Your satisfaction is our priority. Our after-sales service ensures your confidence in gardening success. In case of no germination or other situations, please contact us in time, and we will solve the problem for you, ensuring your gardening journey is a thriving one.

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• HARDINESS ZONE.10-11
• GROW.Mandevilla seeds require shallow planting, only covering them slightly with soil. Keep these moist and warm, about 65 to 75 degrees F. (18-24 C.), and place them in bright, indirect light. The seeds should germinate within a month or so.
• WHEN TO PLANT.Mid-to-late spring
• TALL.Grows up to 10-15 ft. tall (300-450 cm) and 3-5 ft. wide (90-150 cm).
• USE.The vigorous growth of the Mandevilla makes it an excellent addition to any summertime garden.Use the Mandevilla vine to bring some color to your gazebo, patio, or over doorways.

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• HARDINESS ZONE.10-11
• GROW.Mandevilla seeds require shallow planting, only covering them slightly with soil. Keep these moist and warm, about 65 to 75 degrees F. (18-24 C.), and place them in bright, indirect light. The seeds should germinate within a month or so.
• WHEN TO PLANT.Mid-to-late spring
• USE.The vigorous growth of the Mandevilla makes it an excellent addition to any summertime garden.Use the Mandevilla vine to bring some color to your gazebo, patio, or over doorways.
• ATTRACTIVE.One of the best features of the Mandevilla is that it attracts hummingbirds to the garden. Relax on your patio on a hot summer afternoon, and watch the hummingbirds sip away at the flower’s nectar.

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Last update on 2024-11-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Watering and Drainage

The Mandevilla enjoys having its soil moist throughout the day. However, gardeners should allow the soil to dry out between watering sessions. The gardener can provide a slow trickle watering system that slowly releases water into the soil to ensure accurate moisture levels at all times.

The gardener must ensure the soil in the planting spot has adequate drainage.

• Mandeville doesn’t enjoy getting their roots wet in soggy soil, and it may result in the development of root rot that damages or kills the plant. When watering, spray down the leaves of the plant to remove any dust or debris on the leaves.
• Mandevilla requires well-drained soil that’s rich in nutrients like nitrogen and calcium. One of the most important parts of planting your Mandevilla is providing the right potting mix or substrate for the plants.
• Mandevilla likes loose and loamy soil that drains well and holds the right balance of nutrients to help the plant grow. Using a compost potting mix for Mandevilla growing in containers or pots provides the plant with a good base.

However, gardeners should place a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pot to improve soil drainage. Mixing some perlite into the soil mix helps with water retention.

Mandevilla Fertilizer

Mandevilla plants require fertilization after 6-12 months of growth. Gardeners should proceed cautiously when fertilizing, using a slow-release fertilizer product diluted with plenty of water. This approach helps avoid burning the plant’s root system, which can occur if too much fertilizer is applied.

Alternatively, providing the plant with a top dressing of organic compost can also supply the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and vibrant flowering. Gardeners should ensure that they do not over-fertilize their Mandevilla plants, as this can lead to root damage and poor growth.

When buying your Mandevilla at a garden center or nursery, the plant will likely have slow-releasing fertilizer mixed into the soil. The nutrients in the soil should last your Mandevilla a few months, but after it runs out, the gardener will need to add some more fertilizer to keep the plant growing.

Gardeners must ensure that they don’t add any additional fertilizer to the plant for at least 3 to 4-months after planting. The addition of fertilizer on top of the nutrients already in the soil results in burning the root system.

After the Mandevilla reaches 6 to 12-months old, the gardener can fertilize cautiously, using a slow-release fertilizer product diluted with plenty of water. Alternately, providing the plant with a top dressing of organic compost may give the plant the nutrition it needs to grow and flower.

What Are the Common Pests Affecting Mandevilla plants?

Some of the more common pests affecting Mandevilla are the following.

• Aphids
• Scale
• Mealybugs
• Red spider mites
• Whiteflies

Ants bring aphids to plants that are weak or diseased. If you find aphids and ants crawling on your Mandevilla, blast them away with a strong jet of water from the hose. Alternatively, the gardener may apply an organic pesticide that kills the bugs.

For further protection of the plant, the gardener can spray it down with a light solution of Neem oil. Most pests find neem oil either toxic or repulsive, keeping your plants free from pests and disease.

Gardeners may also notice the presence of mealybugs collecting under the leaves of the Mandevilla. Mealybugs typically attack plants that aren’t getting enough water. Low humidity levels or a lack of watering in the summer may cause them to appear on your plants.

If the gardener notices the appearance of webbing on the plant, it’s a classic sign of spider mite infestation. Spider mites appear when climate conditions get too hot for the Mandevilla to handle. These pests are incredibly persistent, and gardeners will need to use an organic pesticide or neem oil solution to get rid of the bugs on their plants.

Gardeners should inspect their plants two to three times a week for signs of pests, and ensure that they check the plant thoroughly before the start of the winter season.

Overwintering Your Mandevilla

Mandevilla is a very hardy plant, and they can easily survive outside in the wintertime, in many U.S. states. As the winter season approaches, gardeners should check their Mandevilla for signs of pest, larvae, or eggs.

The gardener can then prune the plant, removing infested or diseased portions of the plant that might spread. If there is severe pest damage, then the gardener can treat the plant by spraying it with neem oil to kill the bugs.

Neem oil is a natural pesticide treatment that’s effective at killing the following pests affecting your Mandevilla.

• Powdery mildew
• Plant scale
• Mealybug colonies
• Aphids and thrip
• Spider Mite

Neem oil is safe to use, but it’s toxic if ingested, so keep it away from the reach of small children.

Mandevilla plants also have to deal with any forms of disease that show up during the growing season. It’s common for these diseases to cause the foliage to drop off of the plant, reduce flowering, and turn the foliage yellow.

In most cases, the growth of fungi is a sign that conditions are too humid or moist. The plat may also have a lack of ventilation at the planting site, resulting in the onset of powdery mildew. Gardeners must ensure that the soil dries out between waterings to prevent the onset of disease in the plant.

Prune the foliage to improve air circulation around the plant, and don’t worry if some leaves turn yellow and fall off of the Mandevilla, it’s a normal part of the growing cycle. It’s only when the plant experiences a sudden turn in the health of its foliage that there could be a possible problem related to care or pests affecting the plant.

Do Deer Eat Mandevilla Plants?

The Mandevilla plant has no official guidelines online, stating whether the plant is resistant to deer feeding on it during the summer. However, according to anecdotal reports, some species of Mandevilla display deer-resistant characteristics, while others don’t.

It’s important to note that the Rutgers University New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station deer resistant database, has no mention of Mandevilla being deer-resistant.

Growing Your Mandevilla All Year

The Mandevilla is a frost-tender perennial, even though most gardeners think of it as an annual plant. After the wintertime temperatures drop below 50 F, gardeners need to bring the Mandevilla indoors for the season.

Gardeners must ensure they check the plant for pests before bringing it indoors. The gardener can then cut the plant back to a third of its size, and place it in an area of your home that receives indirect sunlight during the day.

Only water the Mandevilla when the soil feels dry to the touch. As the springtime appears, and temperatures rise consistently above the 50F mark, gardeners can clean up the plant by removing any dead foliage, and then return it to the garden for the summer.

Conclusion

Mandevilla plants are a stunning and versatile addition to any garden, providing an abundance of vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers and lush foliage. Their climbing nature makes them perfect for decorating pergolas, trellises, and arches, while their ability to attract hummingbirds adds an extra layer of charm to your outdoor space.

By understanding the plant’s sunlight, water, and soil requirements, as well as implementing proper care techniques such as fertilization and pest control, you can ensure a healthy and flourishing Mandevilla plant.

Although some care is necessary during the colder months, bringing the Mandevilla indoors for overwintering allows for year-round enjoyment of this captivating tropical vine.

Mandevilla FAQs

Do mandevilla plants come back every year?

Yes, Mandevilla plants are perennials, meaning they come back every year, though they are often treated as annuals in colder climates.

Does mandevilla like full sun or shade?

Mandevilla prefers a mix of sun and shade. Ideally, it should be planted in a location that receives morning sun and some shade during peak midday sun hours.

How do you take care of a mandevilla plant?

Care for a mandevilla plant involves providing well-draining, nutrient-rich soil, regular watering while allowing the soil to dry between sessions, and periodic fertilization. Protecting it from pests and overwintering indoors in colder climates are also important.

Does mandevilla survive winter?

Mandevilla can survive mild winters outdoors. However, in colder climates where temperatures drop below 50°F (10°C), it is recommended to bring the plant indoors to overwinter.

How do I save my mandevilla for next year?

To save your mandevilla for next year, prune it back, check for pests, and bring it indoors before the first frost. Place it in a location with indirect sunlight and water it only when the soil feels dry.

Will mandevilla bloom all year indoors?

Mandevilla may not bloom all year indoors, but it can continue to grow and maintain its foliage. It typically blooms from spring through fall when placed back outdoors.

Can you keep mandevilla as a houseplant?

Yes, you can keep mandevilla as a houseplant, especially during the winter months in colder climates. Ensure it receives indirect sunlight and proper watering while indoors.

How long do mandevilla plants last?

With proper care, mandevilla plants can last for several years, even though they are often treated as annuals in colder climates.

What is the lowest temperature a mandevilla can tolerate?

The lowest temperature a mandevilla can tolerate is around 50°F (10°C). It is recommended to bring the plant indoors for overwintering in colder climates where temperatures drop below this threshold.

The post Mandevilla Guide: How to Grow & Care for Vining Mandevilla Plants appeared first on GardenBeast.

Portulaca plants are part of the Portulacaceae genus, with just under a hundred species identified. The most common type of portulaca plant is the Portulaca grandiflora. Also known as the “moss rose,” the portulaca plant is a good choice for bedding plants, and most nurseries across the United States will carry them in stock during the springtime.

The portulaca plant is a very hardy species, and they’ll look as good in the fall as they do in the spring. This plant produces succulent foliage, displaying the drought-tolerance of the portulaca. They make ideal plants for flowerbeds in drier regions of the United States, such as Southern California.

Most varieties tend to have double-flowers that give them the appearance of small roses, thus earning them the moniker of the moss rose. The flowers come in an array of spectacular colors, including hot pink, orange, yellow, and red. Some varieties also come in a cream-white or variegated color arrangement.

The plants tend to grow up to 8-inches tall, and they may spread as wide as 2-feet in diameter when mature. The spreading nature of the plant makes them a great choice for ground cover in flowerbeds.

The portulaca plant does well in flowerbeds or containers, and they like growing in hanging baskets on the patio as well. These plants don’t have any concerns with winds or high temperatures, and they do well in rockeries that receive less water. Plant them next to cacti to bring some color into the garden during the summertime.

Portulaca Plant Quick Facts

Portulaca Plants Light Requirements

• When planting your portulacas, we suggest you select a flowerbed that receives full sunlight throughout the day.
• The more sun these plants get, the harder they flower. If you plant in a shady flowerbed, your portulacas won’t put the flowers on display. Instead, they pout and close the flowerheads.
• Portulaca plants are so picky about the sun that they often refuse to open on cloudy or overcast days.
• The plants require a minimum of 6 to 8-hours of sun each day,

Portulaca Plants Soil Requirements

• Plant your portulacas in a flowerbed that has a loose, loamy, and airy soil that offers excellent drainage. The plants prefer sandy and rocky soils over clay types, and it’s better to plant in pots if your flowerbeds don’t provide these growing conditions.
• When planting in pots, we recommend you use a good-quality potting mix. You can make amendments to the soil with peat moss and perlite to improve the drainage—Line the bottom of the pot with a layer of small stones, and a drainage gauze. Always ensure you’re using a container with adequate drainage holes.
• Air pots are also an attractive option for potting in outdoor areas. These pots have materials siding that increases airflow to the roots of the portulaca. More airflow means that the soil drains better, and the roots get to breathe.
• Overwatering your plants will waterlog the soil, resulting in the onset of root rot. It’s for this reason that planting in a well-draining soil is vital to the health of your portulaca.

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• Moss rose seed mix is an annual flowering plant growing in USDA Zones 4 - 9. It will establish quickly, bloom profusely through the summer months, later dying with the first killing frost. However, if seeds manage to fall to the bare ground beneath, the flowers can regrow the following season.
• Portulacas will produce beautiful, 2 inch, paper like flowers in an array of colors including red, pink, yellow, white, purple & rose. The plants themselves only mature to a height of roughly 3 to 6 inches tall and 12 to 14 inches wide, making it an excellent groundcover plant.
• It makes a great edging plant for the front of a sunny border or grow it in containers and baskets. This mix produces 2 inch, rose-like blooms of intense colors that continue all summer long.
• Moss Rose thrives even in poor, sandy soil and can spread 14 inches establishing itself as an effective groundcover in no time.
• Plant 1000 of these heirloom, non gmo flower seeds to cover approximately 20 square feet when sowing as a ground cover seed.

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• Rock Gardens - Portulaca / Moss Rose is a perfect choice for rock gardens due to its low growth habit. The plants only reach a height of about 3 to 6 inches tall.
• Colorful - Double Mixed Portulaca is an easy flower to grow since the seed can be sown right to the surface of the soil. The flowers will bloom in shades of red, yellow, orange, white, pink and purple.
• Quality - All Portulaca seeds packaged by Seed Needs are intended for the current and the following growing seasons. All seeds are stored in a temperature controlled facility that is free of significant amounts of moisture.
• Quantity - Seed Needs offers generous quantities. You can share with friends and family, or you can save the extra seeds until the following season, if properly stored.
• GERMINATION - Seed Needs packets contain some of the freshest seed available. Direct from the growers. If sown correctly, you will begin seeing results in only a matter of days.

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• Wide Range of Colors: Our Moss Rose seeds produce a stunning variety of colors including vibrant shades of red, pink, yellow, orange, and white, creating a lively and eye-catching garden display and ground cover.
• Heat Tolerant: Moss Rose is highly drought-tolerant, thriving in dry and arid conditions, making it an ideal choice for water-wise gardening
• Pollinator Friendly: The bright and nectar-rich blooms attract a wide variety of pollinators, including butterflies and bees, helping to support vital ecosystems and promote biodiversity in your garden.
• Features: Moss Rose blooms open in the morning and close in the evening or during cloudy weather, adding a dynamic and fascinating aspect to your garden.

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Last update on 2024-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Portulaca Plants Watering Requirements

As mentioned, overwatering your portulacas is not a good idea. However, your flowers still need plenty of water to grow up strong and healthy. Watering is essential to help the plants establish a root system. The healthier the plant’s roots, the more it will blossom in the summertime.

Portulacas are reasonably drought-resistant, but its best to keep them in moist soil if you want them to flower properly.

A drip irrigation system is ideal for these plants, providing them with all the water they need to thrive in the garden.

Portulaca Plants Humidity and Temperature Requirements

Portulaca plants are native to the highlands of Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina. The moss rose is no stranger to hot and dry conditions, and it can tolerate the cold as well. The plant’s nature to spread makes it a popular choice for xeriscaping.

You don’t have to worry about humidity, and if you go away on a family vacation, the plants won’t die if they don’t receive water.

If you live in a region of the United States that receives rainfall throughout the season, you might not need to water these plants at all. The low-maintenance requirements of the portulaca make it a favorite choice for corporate landscaping projects.

How to Fertilize Portulaca Plants

Plant your portulacas in a good-quality soil mix. Following this rule ensures that your plants have all the nutrients they need to grow. A good soil mix means that you won’t need much fertilizer during the growing season.

However, for those gardeners that feel their plants could use a boost, you can fertilize them in the early spring to boost the initial growth. Feed again in the mid-summer to prepare the plant with all the nutrients it needs for the dormancy period.

A liquid, all-purpose fertilizer is a good choice, and you can dilute it to half the recommended strength before application. Overwatering and over-fertilizing your plants may cause the leaves to burn and the flowers to wilt.

How to Prune Portulaca Plants

Portulaca plants bloom throughout the growing season. However, most varieties start to look a bit leggy in the midsummer months. At this stage, you can cut them back, and then add the second round of fertilizer to help them recover from the pruning stress.

Follow the same pruning strategy at the end of the growing season, but don’t add the fertilizer. Stop feeding and watering the plant over the winter. During the dormancy period, the plant recovers and prepares itself for the following spring.

To bring back your portulaca in the springtime, simply start watering again. Start slowly and then increase the amount you water each week until the start of the summer.

Growing Portulaca Plants from Seeds

Portulaca plants are readily available from nurseries at an affordable price. However, some advanced gardeners might want to try their hand at growing them from seed. While growing from seed is challenging, it’s also a rewarding experience for the gardener.

When growing portulaca from seed, the gardener must take care not to sow too many seeds in the same nursery container. Unfortunately, it’s easy to make this mistake, as the seeds are as small as mustard flakes and challenging to move around in the soil.

Start your portulaca seeds indoors at least eight weeks before the beginning of the spring. The seeds take around 10 to 14-days to germinate and require temperatures of between 75 to 85F for successful germination.

After the seeds germinate and start to grow a root system, plant them in pots at around the 2-week mark. Keep the plants warm, and mist the soil with water one a day for moisture.

Plant your seedlings in pots or flowerbeds outdoors after the last frosts fall on the ground. Check your local listings for frost dates in your area.

Pests and Diseases Affecting Portulaca Plants

As with any other plants in the flowerbed, portulacas are susceptible to certain pests and diseases. In the springtime, be on the lookout for aphids. Ants bring them to your plants, and they like to infest the stems. Aphids suck to moisture out of the plants, and if they attach to the growing tips, they can kill the plant.

If rainy conditions persist for a few days, check your garden when the rain stops. Remove any slugs and snails that come out to feast on your portulacas. Prolonged rainy and cold periods of the year may also result in the onset of disease of your plants.

White powdery mildew is a common problem in damp areas. It takes the appearance of a light off-white to gray-colored powder on the petals and leaves of the portulaca.

Diatomaceous earth is an excellent organic fungal-killing amendment. Shake it out around the plants, and it will kill off the WPM. Diatomaceous earth also acts as a natural pest deterrent, keeping bugs away from your plants.

Common Varieties Portulaca Plants

There are dozens of varieties of portulaca available. The flowers come in plenty of colors, providing the gardener with plenty of variety in their landscaping requirements. The moss rose also makes for an excellent companion plant in flowerbeds, and it’s a great ground cover option as well.

These plants are an excellent choice for gardens throughout southwester California, and the southern states. They do well in dry and rainy climates, as long as they get enough sun. Use the portulaca to fill in the gaps around your flowerbeds and pathways in the garden.

Some of the more popular varieties of the moss rose, or portulaca include the following

• The Duet series – Produces beautiful bi-color flowers in red and yellow or rose and yellow
• The Afternoon Delight – Keeps its blooms open into the early evening hours.
• The Margarita series – An All-American selections winner
• The Happy Hour – Early blooming and suitable for regions with fewer sunlight hours
• The Sundance – Produces large flowers, on upright stems that are uncommon to any other variety

Conclusion

Portulaca plants are a versatile, hardy, and colorful choice for gardeners in various climates. With their drought-resistant nature and stunning array of flower colors, they make excellent ground cover and can thrive in flowerbeds, containers, or hanging baskets.

By providing them with adequate sunlight, well-draining soil, and appropriate watering, gardeners can enjoy the vibrant beauty of Portulaca plants throughout the growing season. With numerous varieties available, there’s a Portulaca plant to suit every garden’s aesthetic and landscaping needs.

Portulaca Plants FAQs

Sources & Further Reading

1. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/portulaca/
2. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/moss-rose-portulaca-grandiflora/
3. https://www.growveg.com/plants/us-and-canada/how-to-grow-portulaca/

The post Portulaca Plant Guide: How to Plant & Care for “Moss Rose” appeared first on GardenBeast.

Is it Christmas already? Either way, if you did not cross paths with these beauties already, now is the time. Especially if you are a gardener who likes a little challenge from time to time.

Euphorbia Pulcherrima, also known as Poinsettia, Christmas Flower, Winter Rose, Christmas Star, or Mexican Flame Leaf, is a species of perennial shrubs or small trees in the Euphorbiaceae family. Poinsettia plants are native to Central America regions, from southern Guatemala to Mexico.

The Christmas Flower’s association with the holiday started from a Mexican legend. The story is about a girl who was too poor to afford a proper gift for the celebration. She was inspired to go to the roadside and gather some weeds, then placed them at the church altar on Christmas Eve. As people watched, red and green bloomings have started to sprout from the weed, becoming what we are calling today a Poinsettia.

About Poinsettia

• Poinsettia is the most popular holiday houseplant, representing about one-quarter of the indoor plants sold in the United States.
• Their scientific name has Latin origins, meaning “the most beautiful Euphorbia”.
• Back in the day in Mexico, people have used Poinsettia to make purple dye for cosmetics and clothing.
• The Poinsettia plant is known as December’s birth flower.
• In Mexico, these plants play a huge role in the celebration of Christmas. The red color symbolizes the blood sacrifice of crucifixion, while their star-patterned foliage is considered a representation of the Star of Bethlehem.
• When Poinsettia plants are in full bloom, they prefer semi-cool temperatures and humid locations. Make sure you keep them away from heat sources and frost.
• From spring to fall, they love basking in full sunlight. During the winter, it is better to place them in a bright spot with indirect light.
• Protect your Poinsettia from pests using preventive insecticides and yellow sticky traps.
• Although there are rumors that Poinsettia plants are very toxic, studies have shown that they do not harm humans. However, you might consider protecting your curious pets from these plants, as their leaves can cause them digestive problems.

Poinsettia Features: An Overview

• Poinsettia plants can be found in tropical dry forests. Most wild species grow in steep canyons that are close to the Pacific Ocean.
• There are more than 100 varieties of Poinsettia plants available today. In their natural habitat, they can grow up to 15 feet (4.5 m) tall.
• Poinsettia plants produce a milky white sap called latex. In the past, this sap has been used in Mexico as a treatment for fevers.
• These plants have dark green leaves with dimensions between 2.8 and 6.3 inches (7-16 cm) in length.
• Their colored leaves are often mistaken for flowers due to their growth habit and vibrant colors. They are actually modified or specialized leaves known as “bracts”.
• Depending on the cultivars, the Christmasy red bracts can be replaced with a large variety of colors, such as pink, orange, cream, marbled, pale green, or white.
• Poinsettia plants need long periods of darkness to bloom and change their color.
• Due to their red foliage, Poinsettia plants are sometimes referred to as the Flame-leaf Flower or the Lobster Flower.
• The actual Poinsettia bloomings are small yellow structures that grow in the center of leaf bunches. They are considered false flowers and do not attract pollinators.

Growing Poinsettia

Sometimes, Poinsettia plants are quite hard to please. They bloom yearly in winter and require some extra attention to keep their flowers throughout the holidays. We know you are tempted to buy a new Poinsettia each Christmas, but with patience and proper care, these plants can grow happily in any household.

They are vigorous and healthy when they are exposed to full sun for a long period. If you provide them with plenty of light, they will exhibit the brightest foliage colors. You can place Poinsettia plants in any sunny location inside your home. Keep them away from north-facing windows, as they will not receive enough sunlight from that spot. During the winter, they prefer bright, but indirect light.

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CHUXAY GARDEN Red Poinsettia Flower Seed 100 Seeds Euphorbia Pulcherrima Ornamental Deciduous Shrub Plant Beautiful Potted Plants Great Desktop Bonsai

• Hardiness zone.9-11
• Grow.Sow your seeds, one per small pot, just below the soil surface in evenly moist potting soil. Keep in a warm area of subdued light (no direct sunlight!) and make sure the surface of the soil does not get too dry.
• Sun.Poinsettias need 10 weeks of 12 hours or less of sunlight each day to show color.
• Great.Poinsettias can stay attractive for months.
• Self-seeding.Grow from seed and enjoy growing with your family.

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Bestseller No. 2

Poinsettia Seeds Christmas Star Perennial Drought Tolerant Landscape Hedges Screens Patio Container Indoor Outdoor 100Pcs Shrub Seeds by YEGAOL GARDEN

• TALL: Grows up to 3–10 ft. tall, 3–7 ft. wide.
• BLOOM PERIOD: Poinsettia blooms from winter through spring.
• SOW: In order to germinate, they first need to spend about three months in a cool place, like your refrigerator, a process called cold stratification.
• GERMINATION: In a short time, likely one to two weeks, your poinsettia seeds should germinate and the new seedlings begin to grow.
• TIPS: If your poinsettias are outside, they might be pollinated naturally by insects, but if you keep them as houseplants and will have to pollinate them yourself.

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Bestseller No. 3

QAUZUY GARDEN 100 Seeds Mixed Colour Poinsettia Seeds for Planting- Mexican flameleaf Christmas Star Flower Seeds Perennial Shrub Exotic Accent Seed

• USDA Hardiness Zone. Poinsettia is a very beautiful flowering shrub grown in 9-11(USDA).
• Poinsettia is fast growing and low-maintenance. Just provide enough filtered sun, warmth, and water, and your poinsettia will thrive.You can enjoy this beautiful plant for many years to come.
• Sow. Plant seeds under 1 ½ inches (4 cm.) of soil. Just keep the soil warm and moist until germination. Seedlings emerge in about a few weeks.
• Care. Provide enough filtered sun, warmth, and water, and your poinsettia will thrive. Frequent pinching back of the stem tips will ensure seasonal color in winter.
• Use. Poinsettia is a showy and spectacularly colorful perennial garden shrub. Its blooms are hugely attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. It is a good plant for containers, indoor plants, and as a hedge or an accent plant.

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Last update on 2024-11-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

You can grow these plants indoors throughout the summer without any problems. However, some gardeners choose to move their Poinsettia plants outdoors. You can put the plant’s container in the ground, in a bright location where your plant can is protected from direct sunlight. For optimal branching, you should trim off the stem tips once every month until August.

In the fall, it is better to bring the plant back indoors to protect it from cool temperatures. Provide the plant with long periods of darkness (minimum of 14 hours) every night to encourage blooming.

The biggest achievement with Poinsettia plants is to maintain their bloomings as long as possible. During the day, these plants do well in temperatures between 65 and 75 °F (18-23 °C) and will survive in temperatures that drop to 60 °F (15.5 °C) at night. Make sure you protect your Poinsettia from cold drafts and do not place it on a windowsill where its leaves can touch a cold window. This can damage them, resulting in premature leaf drop.

Poinsettia plants do well in loamy and well-draining soil. Look for potting soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. The container in which you want to plant your Poinsettia should have a hole in the bottom, as it will improve drainage.

Starting from spring, Poinsettia plants will benefit from regular fertilizing. You can feed your plants with a complete houseplant fertilizer at half strength once every two or three weeks. During the blooming period, it is better to keep your plant away from fertilizers.

Repotting Poinsettia plants occasionally will keep them from becoming root-bound. The best time to repot your Poinsettia is in spring when it is about to develop new growth. Fill a pot that has drainage holes with fresh well-draining potting soil. The container should be about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the current one. Make sure you cut all the unhealthy roots from your plant before replanting it and water it thoroughly.

Watering Poinsettia

Poinsettia plants love to be watered thoroughly, especially during the holidays. However, be careful not to over-water them, as this can quickly result in waterlogging and root rot. Avoid drowning or drying out the roots.

To keep these plants happy, you need to find the right balance of dryness and moisture. Make sure you always inspect the plant and the soil in-between waterings. If you notice some yellow or falling leaves, it may be a sign that you do not water your plant right.

Depending on the container size, the frequency of watering may vary. If your Poinsettia grows in a small pot, it will need watering more often than a Poinsettia planted in a larger one, as it will dry out faster. Generally, Poinsettia needs watering when the soil is noticeably dry. You can find out when it is time to water by lifting the container. If it feels light, your plant is thirsty.

During the blooming season, these plants prefer plenty of moisture. Use a humidifier or mist them regularly to maintain a humid environment. When the spring has settled in, it is enough to place your Poinsettia plant in a sunny spot and water it well.

Propagating Poinsettia

Do you want to surprise your friends with a nice gift for the holidays? Say no more! You can show up at their door with cute baby Poinsettias, as propagating these plants is a piece of cake. The most efficient method to propagate a Poinsettia is by stem cuttings.

Make sure you use healthy stem cuttings, as older stems that flowered during the current winter are not recommended for propagation. Allow the new stems to grow at least 4 inches (10 cm) before you cut them.

Once the plant has produced useful cuttings, you should look for a stem that has two or three mature leaves. Cut a stem of 3 to 4 inches (7-10 cm) using a sharp knife and treat it with rooting hormone to boost the root development.

Fill a pot with well-draining potting soil and plant your cutting carefully. To maintain a humid environment and prevent the cutting from wilting, you need to put the container inside a closed plastic bag. The cutting can be placed in a greenhouse or on a windowsill.

If you provide them with plenty of bright light, your cuttings will develop a stable root system after 3 or 4 weeks. You can let your baby Poinsettia grow outdoors until fall. When temperatures start to drop, bring it inside and keep it in darkness for a long period, as this will induce blooming.

 In Conclusion

 We know it seems a bit difficult at first to grow and care for these Christmas plants. Do not be scared, as even the most experienced gardeners find them difficult to grow. To keep Poinsettias in bloom, make sure you give them bright and indirect light, a semi-cool and humid location, and regular watering. Once the temperatures start to rise, they become pretty easy to grow.            

If you want to try something different, you can look for other varieties of Poinsettia, such as Tri-Color, Jingle Bells, Plum Pudding, Lemon Drop, or Prestige Maroon. They are gorgeous and can be a perfect gift for yourself or your friends during the holidays.

The post Poinsettia Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Euphorbia Pulcherrima” appeared first on GardenBeast.

The foxglove is part of the “Digitalis” genus, with most varieties being biennials. In the first year of growth, the foxglove produces foliage that forms a rosette-style arrangement on the ground. During the first year, the plant is establishing its root system. Therefore, it doesn’t provide any flowers.

The plant starts to bloom in the second, and final, year of its life. During the start of the spring, you’ll notice a flower spike rising from the center of the plant. As the weather gets warmer, the spike flowers, producing beautiful and fragrant tubular-shaped flowers.

Those gardens that care properly for their foxgloves can get them to return for a few more years under the right growing conditions. These varieties of foxgloves that allow for multi-year flowering have more akin with herbaceous perennials than biennials. One of the most popular perennial foxglove species is the Digitalis Grandiflora.

About Floxgloves

The foxglove grows to heights of up to 5-feet, making them suitable for planting towards the back of flowerbeds. The flower spikes are the central focal point of attention, and you want to ensure that the flowers are on display when they start to bloom.

These plants reseed easily, and they’ll keep coming back to life year after year in the garden. The foxglove burst into bloom in a variety of different colors. Those gardeners that let seeds grow find that the offspring of the parent plants produce multi-colored flowers.

The blooms have a nodding appearance on the spike, and the most common colors are purple and white, with blue, red, and yellow varieties featuring in gardens across the United States. Foxgloves are a popular choice for planting in moon gardens.

The foxglove is a classic plant to add to a cottage garden. The foxglove gets its name from the large-sized tubular flowers that fit over your finger, providing a velvety sensation on your skin.

How Do I Grow Foxgloves?

Foxgloves are available as juvenile plants from your local nursery. You can also purchase foxglove seeds for sowing in the garden. Growing from seed requires a bit more effort, and novice gardeners will have better success with their flowerbeds if they purchase juvenile plants instead of seeds.

When shopping for a foxglove at the nursery, make sure you look for plants that have green and lively foliage that appears healthy. If you want blossoms in your garden this spring, then make sure you buy a mature plant that’s already a year old. Juvenile foxgloves don’t flower in the first year; they use the time to grow a robust root system instead.

If you’re planting your foxgloves in containers, make sure you don’t overcrowd the pot with seedlings. The foxglove will grow quickly in the first year, and they don’t enjoy crowded growing conditions. Stressing the plant might result in a poor flowering display or no blooms at all.

Bestseller No. 1

Seed Needs, Mixed Gloxiniaeflora Foxglove Seeds for Planting - Heirloom & Open Pollinated Biennial Flowers - Perfect for Butterfly Gardens & Insectaries (1 Pack)

• Flowers - Gloxiniaeflora Foxglove Mixture will produce bell shaped blooms on upright stems. They come in an in array of colors ranging from pink, purple, white and lilac.
• Growth - Foxglove is categorized as an annual / tender perennial flower that grows to a mature height of about 60 inches tall. They are best used as a back drop plant in the garden.
• Butterfly Garden - Perfect flowers for a butterfly garden. They will attract all sorts of butterflies, honeybees, bumblebees and hummingbirds to the garden.
• Quality - All Foxglove seeds packaged by Seed Needs are intended for the current and the following growing seasons. All seeds are stored in a temperature controlled facility that is free of significant amounts of moisture.
• Quantity - Seed Needs offers generous quantities. You can share with friends and family, or you can save the extra seeds until the following season, if properly stored.

$4.85

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Bestseller No. 2

Gardeners Basics, Hummingbird Seeds for Planting Outdoors Flower Seeds (5 Variety Pack) Zinnia, Foxglove, Lupine, Morning Glory, Snapdragons Varieties for Bees, Pollinators Wildflower Seed

• HUMMINGBIRD FLOWER GARDEN - Help support humming birds by planting flowers that hummingbirds use to feed.
• VARIETIES - The 5 varieties included in this assortment are; Snapdragons, Morning Glory, Lupine, Foxglove, and Zinnia wildflower seeds for planting!
• BEAUTIFUL - Flower plants are helpful to hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Beautiful plants with showy flowers.
• USA - All of our seed is grown, harvested, and packaged in the USA. Heirloom, non-GMO flower seeds.
• PACKETS - Each humming bird seeds packet is printed on water-resistant paper in full color with growing and harvesting directions included.

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Bestseller No. 3

BQEE 2pcs Artificial Botanic Foxglove Flowers, Fake Silk Plastic Plant Arrangement for Home, Office, Indoor Decor (Rossy)

• The artificial flower bouquets are pretty and nice decorations, Color fresh. Although they are plastic silk fake flowers arrangements, they look very lifelike and never wither away.
• Artificial foxglove flower is about 30inches(76cm),packing include 2pcs branch.The stem can be bent and adjusted.
• The best gift for birthdays, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. You can arrangemant foxglove flowers into your flower arrangement, I believe you will get unexpected surprises. The long stem fake flowers for wedding centerpieces for brides bouquets, baby shower, dining table and wedding centerpieces,home, outdoors, indoor, house, garden, outside, table, office, kitchen, bedroom, living room, dining room, meeting, hotel, store, wedding, party decorations.
• Faux foxglove flowers are folded in half when placed in the packaging bag. When received, they can be straightened. If there is a smell, please place them in a ventilated area. During the finishing process flower arrangement, they shed small fibers, which is a normal phenomenon. Please keep the flowers away from food and babies!!!
• we value your shopping experience. If you have any questions or concerns about our product, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're committed to providing you with the best possible service and support.

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Last update on 2024-11-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Where Should I Plant My Foxgloves?

The foxglove enjoys basking in the sun during the peak hours of the day. You don’t have to worry about the foliage burning or flowers falling off the plant. For best results, position them in a place in the garden that gets shade in the afternoon, allowing the foxglove to cool off from the heat of the day.

Foxgloves prefer growing in colder climates around USDA Zones 4 to 8. The plants enter a dormancy period during the wintertime and then return the following year to flower again. When preparing a site in your flowerbed, make sure you choose an area that has soil with good drainage and plenty of nutrients.

Foxgloves prefer slightly acidic soil mixes, and you’ll need to plant them in the early spring after the last frosts hit the ground. Check your local listings for frost dates in your area.

When planting your foxglove, it’s vital that you don’t cover the crown of the plant with soil. Covering the crown results in the onset of disease and rot in the roots, causing the plant to die off.

Are Foxgloves Toxic?

The foxglove looks pretty. However, don’t let the beauty of the plant distract you from its underlying toxicity. Foxgloves are poisonous to both people and pets when ingested.

As with many poisonous plants, foxglove is toxic to both people and pets. The stems, leaves, and flowers of the plant contain a compound known as a cardiac glycoside, such as digoxin, digitoxin, and digitalin.

These compounds also feature in leading brands of chronic heart medication, specifically in the brand known as “digitalis.” It’s important to note that a therapeutic dose of the medication is close to the LD 50 mark, and can cause severe complications in the patient if they take too much of the medication.

Therefore, if your kids or pets accidentally ingest any part of the foxglove plant, make sure you rush them to the emergency room for medical attention.

What Are the Light Requirements for Foxgloves?

Gardeners can grow foxgloves in a variety of lighting conditions. The plants take on the full or partial sunlight, but they do prefer regions of the garden that get more sun during the morning and peak hours of the day.

After the plants reach maturity, some varieties can handle growing in partial shade. However, growing them in the full shade will affect the flowering period of the plant.

Those gardeners living in the southern states should provide the foxglove with some shade in the afternoon.

How Do I Water Foxgloves?

Foxgloves need plenty of water during the summertime, especially when they start to flower. However, make sure you plant your flowers in a soil that offers good drainage.

These flowers don’t like growing in waterlogged soils that keep the roots wet. Wet roots add up to the onset of root rot in your plant, which will affect the flowering and potentially kill the plant.

Water twice to three times a week, depending on your climate conditions. If you live in dry regions of the United States, consider investing in a drip irrigation system for your yard. Drip irrigation provides the foxglove with all the water it needs to flower in full glory this summer.

What are the Humidity and Temperature Requirements for Foxgloves?

Foxgloves enjoy warm growing conditions, but they prefer the colder climates of the northern to mid-western states. Gardeners may find that the foxgloves start to wilt in temperatures that exceed 100F.

Foxgloves aren’t picky about the humidity on offer, and they grow well in both dry and humid environments.

If you’re planting your foxglove in humid conditions, make sure that you leave plenty of space for airflow around the plant. If there isn’t enough airflow, it could lead to the development of diseases like white powdery mildew.

If you’re growing foxgloves from seed, then they’ll germinate in temperatures of between 70F to 80F.

How Do I Fertilize Foxgloves?

For those gardeners growing foxgloves in the northern states, you’ll need to provide your plants with some protection during the winter season. We recommend you mulch around the base of the plant using an organic compost and mulch mix.

Mulching the soil keeps pests away from your plants, and it also releases nutrients into the soil that boosts the plants flowering and growth the following season.

When fertilizing, make sure you choose a 5-10-5 fertilizer product that is low in nitrogen. Excess nitrogen can damage the plant and prevent it from flowering during the summer.

Add a handful of granular fertilizer to the soil in the early spring to stimulate the plant out of dormancy and get the roots growing.

Why Do I Deadhead Foxgloves?

After the plant finishes flowering, you can usually get another bloom if you deadhead the plant. Deadheading refers to removing all of the dead flowers from the foxglove.

By deadheading, you encourage your foxglove to produce another set of flowers in the fall. Don’t deadhead the flowers if you want the plants to reseed in the flowerbed.

How Do I Propagate Foxgloves?

Propagating foxgloves is challenging and requires an experienced gardener for the process. Foxgloves typically reseed themselves, so propagation isn’t necessary.

If you plant different color foxgloves in the garden, you might find that new ones appear in the second year. These new plants will have bi-color combinations of the parent plants, providing a spectacular visual display when they start to flower.

How Do I Space Foxgloves?

The foxglove comes in many different varieties, but they all require spacing in the flowerbed for optimal growth and flowering. Space your foxgloves at least 2-feet apart, and stake the flower spikes on some plants to prevent them from falling over in high wind conditions.

What Are the Best Varieties of Foxglove for the Garden?

There are dozens of varieties of foxgloves available. Your choice of colors depends on your personal tastes. We recommend you choose a type that blends into the visual characteristics and colors of the other flowers in your garden. Here are some of our top choices for your garden.

• The Goldcrest – Features yellow flowers
• D. Obscura – Features orange blossoms
• The Candy Mountain – Features pink flowers
• D. Grandiflora – Features large yellow flowers
• D. x Mertonensis – A hybrid variety that features pink-copper flowers

The post Foxgloves Guide: How to Plant & Care for “Foxglove Flowers” appeared first on GardenBeast.

Creeping thyme is a woody, perennial species of the Thymus that acts as an excellent ground cover for sunny areas of the garden. Creeping thyme is edible like its cousin and can be used in cooking or steeped for teas and tinctures.

The thymus family encompasses a broad group of plants and herbs, all of which thrive in moderate climates. This perennial grows to a low height and then spreads out with its vine-like growing habits.

Creeping thyme has foliage with a fine texture, and they spread out across the ground, producing flowers with different shades of color, depending on the type. The vines begin to flower in the later springtime to early summer. Creeping lemon thyme, caraway thyme, and spicy orange thyme produce pink flowers, and the plant remains short, reaching a height of 4-inches.

Both pink and red creeping thyme also stay short, reaching heights of 4-inches or less. Woolly thyme can grow up to 6-inches in height, but it’s a slow developer and spreads slowly.

Quick Facts

Creeping Thyme Varieties

Thyme is an indigenous plant to parts of Eurasia. However, the popularity of this plant means that it now grows in gardens all around the world. North American gardens offer ideal growing conditions for creeping thyme, with pollinators and butterflies finding the plants attractive.

Honey produced by bees feeding on creeping thyme plants near Mount Hymettus, Athens, yields a pleasant herbal and sweet flavor.

English thyme is the most popular variety of the herb, and it’s also known as garden or common thyme. It’s this variety that you use to season food.

Other varieties of creeping thyme include the following.

• White creeping thyme (Thymus paocos ‘Albiflorus’)
• Spicy orange creeping thyme (Thymus ‘Spicy Orange’)
• Red creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum ‘Coccineus’)
• Caraway thyme (Thymus Herba-Barona)
• Wooly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus)
• Archer’s Gold thyme (Thymus citriodorus Archers Gold)

Creeping Thyme for Landscaping

Creeping thyme has many uses, but it’s the best choice for groundcover for your flowerbeds. Using creeping thyme as groundcover chokes the life out of invasive weeds, keeping your flowerbeds free from weed growth.

Planting creeping thyme in your garden allows you to enjoy the sweet fragrance of the plant when it starts to flower.

Of course, there is the culinary use of the herb, but we suggest you stick with English creeping thyme if you want to use it for flavor in cooking your recipes. Creeping thyme also has a use as folk medicine, where it reduces inflammation and calms the nervous system.

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• Ground Cover - Wild Creeping Thyme is a great choice to cover larger areas in the garden. It is especially sought after for populating rock gardens as well.
• Perennial Flowers - Thyme is categorized as a perennial flowering plant. The plants develop a deep root system which allows them to return the year after they initially grow.
• Easy to Establish - Simply toss the seed down to the surface of the soil and give them a good watering each day. Before you know it the tiny sprouts will be appearing all over the garden.
• Smells Great - Thyme is a very sought after herb due to its strong scent. If the leaves and stems are crushed, the smell of Thyme can deter mosquitos.
• Quality - All Thyme seeds packaged by Seed Needs are intended for the current and the following growing seasons. All seeds are stored in a temperature controlled facility that is free of significant amounts of moisture.

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Bestseller No. 2

Sow Right Seeds - Bulk Creeping Thyme Seeds for Planting - 2.5 Grams, 18500 Seeds - Non-GMO Heirloom Jumbo Pack with Instructions - Purple Lawn Alternative - Bountiful Herb for Filling Garden Beds

• Grow All You Want - Extra large bulk packet of Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) ground cover. This variety produces beautiful lavender colored blossoms with hardy foliage that withstands light foot traffic. Great lawn alternative that gives off a wonderful aroma when walked on. Minimum of 2.5g per packet (about 18500 seeds).
• Productive - Creeping Thyme germinates in 14-21 days when soil temps are 65-70°F. Plant 1/16” deep and space 6-8” apart in an area with partial shade. This variety will grow 2-3” tall with a spread of 3-12”. Flowers will mature in 75-90 days, plant in USDA zones 4-9.
• Pollinator Friendly - Butterflies and bees love Creeping Thyme flowers and will likely pay you many visits. Great way to support your local pollinators. The perennial is easy to grow and requires little to no maintenance. Give your lawn area a pop of color. This super pack will provide you with enough seed to grow all season. You could also plant a large food plot for the community or to take to market.
• Easy to Grow - Instructions included on each packet. Plus, we are available to answer all your questions. If these seeds don’t germinate, we will happily make it right for you
• Safe and Sustainable - Our operation is fully solar powered, and Sow Right Seeds has taken the Safe Seed Pledge to sell only fresh Non-GMO heirloom seeds for you and your family.

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20000+ Magic Purple Creeping Thyme Seeds for Planting Ground Cover Plants Heirloom Flowers Perennial Thyme Non-GMO Thymus Serpyllum Seed

• Creeping Thyme Thymus Serpyllum is a robust, hardy perennial subshrub native to Europe and North Africa. Creeping Thyme seeds can be started indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost or directly outdoors in spring.
• These seeds are very tiny so it's best to use the shaker method and mix your seeds with sand to spread, or mix your packet with 4 cups of peat and spread in your garden area. Thyme likes moist soil while germinating so don't let your soil dry out (water from below and cover pots with plastic wrap). These germinate very slowly and the difficult part is keeping them cool, moist, and exposed to light (during the day) for 30 days.
• Or keep your pot/tray (with holes in the bottom) in a tray containing about 1" of water and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Keep your pot/tray under lights until germination. Thyme need a cool and moist environment to germinate.
• Plant type: Perennial.Germination lighting: Light.Germination days:21-30 days.Maturation days:60 days.
• Made in USA - It makes excellent for moms, adults and gardening box for men. Share with your family and friends its happiness from germination to flowering and fruiting.If the package is damaged, in insufficient quantity, or can not germinate, please contact us to replace it for you.

$8.95

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Last update on 2024-11-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The short and stocky nature of creeping thyme makes it the ideal choice for adequate ground cover, and some gardeners may even use creeping thyme as an alternative to grass in the yard.

However, the majority of gardeners use creeping thyme to fill in the gaps between stepping stones in pathways, or empty spaces in the yard. It’s important to note that caraway thyme may proliferate, suiting landscaping purposes where the garden requires broad coverage.

Wooly thyme is an excellent choice for tight spaces in the yard that need some ground cover. This slow-growing variety won’t engulf your stepping stones in the same manner as fast-growing varieties.

Planting white and red creeping thyme produces a spectacular visual display in the garden when they start to bloom.

For those gardeners with a scent garden, creeping thyme adds a delicious fragrance and aroma to the garden as it starts to flower. Use the creeping thyme as a border around flowerbeds, or as ground cover around tall perennials and shrubs.

When the plants are flowering, all they need is a light brush against them to release a powerful and pleasing fragrance into the air.

Cooking with Thyme

Thyme is a popular herb used in cooking. The aromatic herb brings flavor and fragrance to meals like soups and stews, and it’s a favorite additive in some olive oil blends as well. If you intend on growing creeping thyme to meet your culinary needs, then it’s important to note that both fresh and dried thyme has plenty of uses in recipes.

If you plan on drying your thyme leaves, then wait until the plant finishes flowering in the early fall. Harvest the new growth after the blooming period ends, and make sure you do it in the early morning to retain the full flavor and fragrance of the leaves. It’s essential to wait until any dew evaporates from the leaves before you harvest.

After harvesting the springs, bunch them together and hang them in a cool, dry place in your home, such as the attic. After the sprigs dry out completely, store the leaves in an air-tight container, preferably in the fridge. Fresh herbs lose their flavor and aroma after a few months, so make sure you use it within this time frame.

Tips for Growing Creeping Thyme

Caraway thyme, creeping lemon thyme, and spicy orange thyme, suit gardens, and growing environments in USDA zones 5 to 9. White and red thyme suit zones 4 to 9. Wooly thyme prefers USDA zones 6 to 8.

Creeping thyme grows best in soil with an alkaline balance, and it’s essential to plant your creeping thyme in an area of the garden where the ground gets good drainage. Similar to other herbs, creeping thyme doesn’t require a nutrient-dense soil. The perennial grows readily in the full sunlight, or in areas of the garden that receive afternoon shade.

Over time, your creeping thyme will develop woody stems.

If these woody stems start to dominate the plant, then it’s best to remove the plants and replace them with a new variety, pruning back the plant stimulates growth.

Pests and Problems

Surprisingly, thyme is resistant to most pests and diseases affecting other flowers, vegetables, and herbs in the garden.

However, gardeners must ensure they plant the creeping thyme in soil with good drainage. Leaving the roots of the plant damp all the time results in the onset of “wet feet,” and the start of root rot in the plant.

Planting Creeping Thyme

As mentioned previously, creeping thyme doesn’t require much attention while growing. Since the plant is reasonably compatible with most growing conditions, it doesn’t require excessive monitoring and watering like other perennials.

The creeping thyme does well in any soil type, but for optimal growth, plant it in nutrient-dense, loamy soil that drains well. Check the ground using a pH meter before you plant; the soil should have a slightly higher alkaline content.

It’s possible for gardeners to propagate creeping thyme using cuttings from the stem of the plant. If you’re looking for a new plant, then you can find them available at most nurseries or garden centers.

Gardeners should take cuttings from the plant in the early summer. If you’re growing the seeds, then start them indoors in the early springtime. As the seeds sprout, you can sow them in the garden during the spring after the lasts frosts fall. Check your local listings for details on frost dates in your area.

Gardeners should plant their creeping thyme at least 8 to 12-inches apart to accommodate the spreading of the plant. Prune back the vines in the early spring to prepare the plant for the growing season ahead. Prune again after the flowers die back.

Creeping Thyme Colors

Creeping thyme comes in a wide selection of varieties, each with unique characteristics and colors.

Here are a few of the favorite types found in gardens across the United States.

• Pink Chintz – As a variety related to the genus thymus sepyllum, the pink chintz creeping thyme features dark-green, fuzzy leaves with pink flowers in light and dark hues. This creeping thyme spreads quickly and can reach diameters of up to 24-inches.
• Red Creeping Thyme – This variety of creeping thyme also goes by the moniker, “coccineus.” This variety of creeping thyme bursts into bloom with magnificent magenta flowers. This variety covers ground quickly, growing to 18-inches in diameter. The red creeping thyme produces small but pretty flowers that produce the typical thyme scent.
• Purple Carpet – This variety is the most popular type of creeping thyme found all over the world. The purple carpet grows at a low height, creating a purple carpet of flowers that gardeners can walk on without damaging the plant. This variety spreads out to 18-inches in diameter.
• Spicy Orange – This variety of creeping thyme produces pink clusters of flowers and needle-shaped foliage. This type does not provide the same groundcover effect as the purple carpet or other variations. It’s one of the smaller varieties, only spreading to a diameter of 10 to 12-inches.
• Wooly Thyme – This variety features silver-green foliage that takes the shape of a spiral. This variety is very drought-resistant, and the leaves are the focal point of the plant, although it does produce small purple and pink flowers in the summertime. This variety prefers colder climates.
• Doone Valley – Featuring light pink to purple flowers and dark-green foliage, the Doone Valley creeping thyme shows gold tips at the end of the leaves in colder climates.

Conclusion

Creeping thyme is a versatile and attractive ground cover plant that not only adds visual appeal to gardens but also offers various practical uses in landscaping and culinary applications.

With a variety of vibrant colors and unique characteristics, creeping thyme is an excellent choice for filling gaps between stepping stones, suppressing weeds, and creating a pleasant aroma in your garden. It’s also used in cooking and folk medicine, making it a valuable addition to any home garden.

By planting creeping thyme in well-draining, alkaline soil and providing it with adequate sunlight, gardeners can enjoy its beauty and utility for years to come.

Creeping Thyme FAQs

Does creeping thyme come back every year?

Yes, creeping thyme is a perennial plant, meaning it comes back every year. It can survive in moderate climates and will return each spring with new growth and flowers.

How invasive is creeping thyme?

Creeping thyme is not considered highly invasive, but it does spread effectively as a ground cover. The rate of spreading varies depending on the variety, with some types like caraway thyme growing more prolifically than others like woolly thyme.

Can you walk on creeping thyme?

Yes, creeping thyme is a tough and resilient plant that can handle foot traffic. Some varieties, like the purple carpet creeping thyme, create a beautiful and durable ground cover that can be walked on without causing significant damage.

Can I plant creeping thyme directly in the ground?

Yes, you can plant creeping thyme directly in the ground. Make sure to choose a well-draining, sunny location with slightly alkaline soil for optimal growth. You can also start seeds indoors and transplant them to the garden after the last frost.

Will creeping thyme choke out weeds?

Creeping thyme acts as an effective ground cover that can help suppress weed growth by competing for resources and blocking sunlight. By covering the soil, creeping thyme helps prevent the establishment and growth of invasive weeds.

What does creeping thyme look like in winter?

In winter, creeping thyme becomes dormant, and its growth slows down. The foliage may appear less vibrant, and the plant may lose some leaves, depending on the climate and specific variety. In milder climates, creeping thyme may retain much of its foliage throughout the winter, while in colder climates, it may die back and re-emerge in spring.

The post Creeping Thyme Guide: How to Plant & Care For “Mother of Thyme” appeared first on GardenBeast.

Jacobaea maritima, commonly known as dusty miller plant, silver dust, or silver ragwort, is a lovely perennial ornamental plant that grows natively in the Mediterranean region. Thanks to its unique foliage, this plant has become a popular ornamental worldwide. Gardeners across the world appreciate the dusty miller plant for its spectacular silvery, lace-like foliage, and easy-to-grow nature.

Formerly a member of the Senecio genus, people became familiar with the scientific name Senecio cineraria. Nowadays, the dusty miller plant is a member of the Jacobaea genus and its scientific name is Jacobaea maritima, but you can still find it labelled as Senecio cineraria in garden shops. So now that you know that it goes by many different names, you will be able to find it more easily in nurseries and plant shops.

Quick Facts

About Dusty Miller

• Besides the basic, but stunning Jacobaea maritima species, this plant comes in lots of other attractive varieties that you can choose from. Some of the most fabulous cultivars include ‘Cirrus’, ‘Silver Dust’, ‘New Look’, ‘White Diamond’, ‘Ramparts’, and ‘Silver Filigree’.
• A cultivar selected for its dense silvery tomentum, J. maritima ‘Silver Dust’, has gained the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
• The Dusty miller will look nice and perform best in habitats that suit both its preferences and appearance. In general, you will notice this plant most often in garden beds, borders, city gardens, cottage gardens, moon gardens, and pots.
• For even more ornamental value, you can plant your Dusty miller along with other interesting species of easy-going plants. Some examples of perfect companions for Dusty miller are Heliotrope, Pelargonium ‘Kimono’, Million Bells, Petunia, Purple Fountain Grass, Salvia, Snapdragon, or Zinnia.

• Dusty miller makes a great addition to cutting gardens as it is a great filler for flower arrangements and bouquets. The attractive silver foliage will act as a clean contrast when combined with colorful blooms, and it’s a nice change from your typical green fillers.  When combined with white flowers, it can make a perfect addition to bridal bouquets and it will add a wonderful elegance to any arrangement You can also try your hand at drying this plant as it usually keeps its attractive colour.

• Dusty miller is a super easy-going plant in terms of growing and caring for it. However, it is not as friendly with us or our pets when we get in contact with it. This plant is toxic, so you might want to keep it outside your children’s and pets’ reach.

• Despite serious safety concerns, the Dusty miller is still present in medicine and it is used as a treatment for migraines, menstrual disorders, and “spots before the eyes”. Likewise, some use it as an eyewash for blurred vision and cataracts.

Dusty Miller Features: An Overview

• Dusty miller is a bushy perennial or subshrub. Depending on the specimen, it can reach from 6 to 24 inches (15-60 cm) in height and a width of about 8 to 24 inches (20-60 cm).
• Jacobea maritima grows natively in Mediterranean regions, in northwest Africa, and southern Europe, but it can also occur in Asia, especially in Turkey. In its natural habitat, Dusty miller thrives on cliffs and rocky coastal sites, and less often inland. Thanks to its ornamental value, this plant can now be found growing further north in Europe and in North America.
• This plant is most attractive throughout its active growing season. It has dense foliage, consisting of numerous finely textured, felted or woolly, dissected, and white-silvery leaves. Sometimes, it looks very similar to lace. On older plants, the hairs will become less visible as they start to wear off, and you’ll begin to see the green underneath.
• Jacobaea maritima features hair-like pieces on the leaves and stems called tomentum. This part of the plant plays a big part in ecology since some species of bees use it for building their nest.
• After its first year, the Dusty miller will generally begin its blooming phase. Expect to see your plant in bloom anytime during the summer months.
• The Dusty miller produces clustered heads that contain many tiny, daisy-like flowers. The blooms can exhibit shades of cream and yellow. They are not particularly ornamental, as the foliage usually takes the spotlight.
• Once the flowering period has passed, the Dusty miller may bear fruits known as achenes. They are small, dry, cylindrical, and one-seeded fruits that do not open to release their seed.

Growing Dusty Miller

The Dusty miller is the type of plant that will keep you company without asking for too much in return. In fact, this shrub will make any dull corner look better, and you will certainly notice the ornamental value of this plant as soon as you bring it to your home or your outdoor area. Dusty miller is a great choice, especially if you are looking for a mix of long-lasting and low-maintenance for your plant family.

When it comes to lighting conditions, the Dusty miller only needs one thing – lots of full sunlight, as this kind of exposure helps it remain compact and keep its gorgeous foliage colour and vibrance. If your Dusty miller experiences more shade overall, it will become somewhat leggy and also lose its soft, silvery hairs. Make sure you opt for a spot in which your plant can get at least six hours of bright and direct light each day.

Temperature-wise, the Dusty miller does best in hot and sunny climates. This plant is relatively tolerant and winter-hardy only in the USDA zones 8 to 11. Still, some gardeners say that it may survive winter months even in colder climates. The Dusty miller is a tender perennial in those areas where it can overwinter without any issue along the way. Otherwise, in harsher locations, you can grow it as an annual and forget about the temperature part.

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In case you want to overwinter your Dusty miller, we warmly recommend you reduce the frequency of watering in late summer. After this, you can prune the plant back using sterile and sharp pruning shears just above ground level. When you finish with the pruning part, mulch the soil around your plant with straw or pine needles. This process of three steps will make your life easier because it prepares your plant for the winter to come.

If you already appreciate the Dusty miller for its low-demanding style, you will be happy to learn that this ornamental is quite resistant to pest infestations and diseases. Some of the most common intruders that find Dusty miller attractive are slugs. This means that you might want to keep an eye out for them. To keep slugs away from your plant, you can simply handpick them once you notice their presence or use beer traps to control their spread.

Planting Dusty Miller

Since Dusty miller has a mounded growth habit and can spread up to 2 feet (60 cm), you will have to pay some attention when you plant it outdoors or near other plants. It is best to leave a distance of 2 feet (60 cm) around your plant to give it plenty of room to grow as it pleases. It does not typically spread any wider, so you should be safe with that.

For the most optimal growth out there, plant your Dusty miller in a substrate that features very good drainage. Other than that, you can provide your plant with a wide variety of soils as long as the chosen growing medium meets the pH requirements. The Dusty miller thrives in acidic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 6.0. If your soil does not have this particular type of acidity or drainage, you can always amend it with compost to improve its general quality.

Fertilizers are not for Dusty miller, at least not as frequent as for other ordinary ornamental plants. It is a light feeder that will demand fertilizers only when it grows in poor soil. In case of this, you can feed your plant by adding some organic matter like leaf mould or well-rotted manure.

If you are growing your Dusty miller strictly for its superb silvery foliage, you should know that this shrubby friend is also a bloomer. Although its flowers are small and cannot become focal points, you might want to get rid of them to enjoy the luxury of your plant’s foliage. You can healthily achieve this by removing the blossoms from the shrub using sterilized pruning shears.

The Dusty miller does not grow at a very fast pace. However, potted specimens can overgrow their containers with time and will also benefit from a soil change once in a while. With this plant, you will know that it is time to repot when its roots begin to come out of the drainage holes. You can transplant your Dusty miller in a one-size larger container filled with fresh, well-draining soil, then water it generously to give it an excellent start.

Watering Dusty Miller

Being both a shrub and a Mediterranean species, the Dusty miller requires only occasional watering once it becomes established. This usually happens after its first year of growth when you can also see it blooming for the first time. Until then, you will have to water your plant as often as it needs to prevent its growing medium from drying out.

After your plant has settled into its new home, you can reduce the frequency of watering. It is a drought-tolerant species that can do just fine with one inch (2.5 cm) of water per week.

The Dusty miller will not appreciate soggy conditions or waterlogging at all. In general, excessive watering can cause root rot in this shrub. This fungal problem is more common in specimens that grow in clay or heavy soils. Make sure you avoid over-watering your Dusty miller and plant it in a well-draining substrate to prevent this from happening.

Propagating Dusty Miller

The Dusty miller makes for a fine garden filler, especially if you already have some nice companions with blue, purple, red, or orange flowers. Once your plant has established, you can take advantage of its dense foliage to make more specimens. The most popular and effective method of propagating Dusty miller is through stem cuttings.

First, wait for the spring to come before taking cuttings from your Dusty miller. When the time is right, usually in signs of warmth, you can start looking for healthy stems on your shrub. Cut about 6 inches (15 cm) off the stems with sharp pruning shears. Keep in mind that you must clean the garden tool before each cutting you take to prevent infection on your plant and also skin irritation.

Once you have the cuttings, strip the leaves from their base, then dip the cut ends of the stems in a rooting hormone. For each cutting, fill a small container with soilless potting mix and water until it becomes damp and the water drains from the pot. Plant the Dusty miller cutting in its individual pot. After this, make sure you provide the cuttings with warmth and a drink whenever the soil feels dry to the touch.

You should notice new leaves showing up on the cuttings after a month or so. When this happens, you can transplant the new Dusty miller plants outdoors or just let them be in their containers where they already grow.

In Conclusion

The Dusty miller is a wonderful companion plant for every gardener, especially if you are a night owl that enjoys spending time outdoors and that appreciates unique-looking plants. This plant makes a perfect addition to moon gardens, alongside other ornamentals, cutting gardens, and Mediterranean gardens.

There is something magical about the beauty of Dusty miller under the moonlight, especially when combined with Angelonia, Ipomoea, Artemisia, and other similar plants. Dusty miller makes a great filler for floral arrangements and bouquets, so if you enjoy using your flowers in an artistic way, this plant is a great choice. Another great advantage of this versatile ornamental is the fact that you can grow it both indoors and outdoors without too much effort.

Are you growing Jacobaea maritime a.k.a. Dusty Miller in your home or in your garden? Share your experience in the comments section!

Dusty Miller FAQS

Do Dusty Millers come back every year?

Dusty Miller is often grown as an annual in cooler climates, but it’s technically a perennial in USDA hardiness zones 8-10. This means that in milder climates, it can come back year after year. In colder climates, however, it may not survive the winter and will need to be replanted each spring.

Does dusty miller survive winter?

In its preferred hardiness zones (8-10), Dusty Miller can survive the winter. In cooler zones, it can tolerate light frosts, but harsh winters may kill the plant. It’s advisable to mulch around the base of the plant in fall to provide some protection against cold temperatures.

Is dusty miller invasive?

Dusty Miller is not typically considered invasive. While it can self-seed under the right conditions, it doesn’t tend to spread aggressively or displace native plants in most garden settings.

What is dusty miller good for?

Dusty Miller is primarily valued for its striking silver-gray foliage, which provides a beautiful contrast in flower beds, borders, and container gardens. Its unique color can complement many other plants and make surrounding colors pop. Additionally, its drought-tolerant nature makes it a good choice for xeriscaping or low-water gardens.

Article Sources

1. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/jacobaea-maritima/
2. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/353991/jacobaea-maritima-silver-dust/details
3. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/6/1/6166

The post Jacobaea Maritima Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Dusty Miller” appeared first on GardenBeast.

With Christmas just around the corner, we know you are already thinking about how you would like your house to look during the holidays. And when you have so many options to choose from, it can become quite difficult to decide which plants will be your partners in décor this year. But we will make things a bit easier for you!

Ornamental plants are the most marvellous decorations that will fill your home with life and colour. The best thing about container plants is that they will stay by your side throughout the year even after all the holiday spirit has passed. Plus, they require little to no effort on your part to do so and will be with you for more than one Christmas.

Here are our top container Christmassy ornamentals that you can choose from:

Holly (Ilex Opaca)

In ancient times, Holly plants were considered a symbol of good luck thanks to their resilient nature. People used to send Holly wreaths to family members and friends to wish them good. The unkillable feature of these bushes still makes them one of the most popular picks among plant lovers, especially during Christmas time.

Holly shrubs will remain green all year round and will have a wonderful time in some of your favourite pots. In winter, when Christmas is just around the corner, they will complete their mesmerizing appearance with a profusion of bright red berries. If you would like a variety of yellow fruits, we suggest you opt for the ‘Canary’ cultivar.

The beauty of Holly bushes does not require lots of attention and care to maintain. All these plants will ask from you include a particular type of growing medium, constant moisture, and the warmth of your home. Plant your Holly shrubs in acidic, well-draining soil and water them whenever the substrate feels dry to the touch. When it comes to lighting, anything between full sun and partial shade is more than fine.

English Ivy (Hedera Helix)

If you are looking for a plant that can complement any other ornamental companion you already have in your Christmas collection, English ivy is the perfect option! With its elegant woody stems filled with festive star-like leaves, this plant has all it takes to fit in the holiday decor of your preferences. It is also a symbol of new growth and good luck, with some saying that it can ward off evil spirits.

English ivy keeps green throughout the year and will adore growing in the roomiest pot you can find. This is a showy and vigorous plant that tends to occupy the space of its nearby plants in the blink of an eye. If you want to keep your English ivy in its place, we recommend you provide it with a structure for vertical growth.

Since English ivy spreads like crazy, a good part of its caring routine will consist of you pruning it back to where you like it. Besides this, the plant will grow fantastically with anything from partial to full shade, well-draining and constant slightly dry soil. And, who knows? With enough luck, your English ivy might even surprise you with some insignificant greenish-white to greenish-yellow blossoms!

Hellebore (Helleborus Niger)

You might ask yourself what a Hellebore and Christmas holidays can have in common. Interestingly enough, another common name for Helleborus niger is the Christmas rose, as it typically blooms during the winter months. Thus, we want to give you the chance to have these spectacular flowers in your home for the holidays. Especially when they are so low-demanding!

This Hellebore species is an exquisite ornamental to have around, with its peculiar dark purple blossoms lasting for a long time. They are great flowering plants for indoor container growing and will give your Christmas design a dash of mystery.

Helleborus niger likes partial to full shade throughout the summer months, but more sunlight when the winter comes. It will perform well indoors in a container filled with well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Even if this plant prefers some moisture, you should not allow it to have its feet wet for a prolonged period.

Mistletoe (Viscum Album)

We all know by now about the most popular tradition for lovers during the holidays – kissing under the Mistletoe. If not, however, there is always a start to it! Mistletoe is a must-have for any Christmas decoration, no matter where you live around the globe.

The foliage of this plant is evergreen, so it will keep you company for the entire year if you plant it in a container. It is a parasitic species, attaching to any plant host it can find through its root-like structure known as haustorium. It would be good for the plant if you manage to find a host for this plant, as it survives mostly with what it can get from it. The most interesting part of Mistletoe is that the female specimens will come along with numerous white berries.

Mistletoe has the greatest time out there in sunny or semi-shaded locations, but it will also cope with shady mediums. Water-wise, pay attention to its host’s needs since Mistletoe gains water from it. If you do not want your Mistletoe to grow like crazy, you will have to prune it regularly to maintain the size of your dreams.

Poinsettia

Our list would not be complete without the beloved Poinsettia – one of the most popular Christmas plants that you will find in any flower shop around the holidays.  This plant is widely used for Christmas decorations around the world and it will make a perfect centrepiece for your Christmas table.

Poinsettias are usually dark green but they change colour in response to shorter winter days and become bright red. The flowers of Poinsettia plants are actually made up of bracts that resemble petals and all yellow blooms. Although the most popular type of Poinsettia is red and green, these plants come in many different colours and will fit into any decorative scheme. Poinsettias can also be creamy white and pink and even bright orange.

Once you choose the perfect Poinsettia, it will be useful to know how to care for it and how to maintain its beautiful foliage for as long as possible. But it is important to know that oftentimes, this plant will not survive for a very long time and even the most experienced gardener might be unable to save it. This happens because more store-bought Poinsettias are in shock after being repotted too quickly, undergoing temperature changes, and being exposed to cold temperatures. Most Poinsettias are sold within just a few hours after being potted, so these effects are not visible when you purchase the plant. Most Poinsettias are sold within 24 hours of being potted and you will only see the effects a few days after you bring the plant home. It is best to avoid buying Poinsettias that were kept outdoors, in cold temperatures, or that have wilting leaves.

You can’t always save a ‘shocked’ Poinsettia, but you can surely try. The best environmental conditions for this plant consist of plenty of bright, indirect light, watering when the soil becomes dry, regular misting, and temperatures between 13-15°C.

Cyclamen (Cyclamen Persicum)

Prized for their ravishing blooms that make an appearance over the Christmas holidays, Cyclamen has gained popularity among plant growers around the world. The winter cannot get more festive than with this ornamental, making for beautiful centrepieces on the Christmas table.

Cyclamen is a pretty small plant, becoming so cute and lovable that is almost impossible to resist it. It blooms year after year with an abundance of flowers, containing delicate butterfly-shaped petals in shades of white, red, or pink. And, besides blooms, what gives Cyclamen the spotlight is its superb evergreen but silver-frosted foliage.

To bloom, Cyclamen needs overall cool temperatures and goes dormant during the warmth of summer. When you meet this particular cold-weather demand, your plant will bloom for six months or even longer. In winter, make sure you spoil your Cyclamen with plenty of bright and indirect light. Likewise, well-draining soil and constant moisture are keys to healthy and happy Cyclamen plants.

Yew (Taxus)

The best thing about Yew plants is that they can make for an excellent alternative Christmas tree with no extra effort on your part. These buddies are a wonder to look at, showing up with lots of evergreen needles, attractive cones, and eye-catching contrasting red berries. With all this colour around, you can leave any ornamental globe for another Christmas.

There are many varieties of trees and shrubs in the Taxus genus that are super friendly and very easy to care for. Yew plants can do just fine in a wide range of growing and environmental conditions. They are suitable for containers as long as you manage to meet their few particular demands. Which, between us, is a piece of cake!

To keep their foliage healthy and lush, find a spot for your Yew plants where they can get several hours of sunshine daily. In terms of soil, they can tolerate many types but only when the substrate features sharp drainage. While Yew plants have moderate watering preferences, they can also withstand overwatering or short periods of drought.

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)

We, cacti owners, know that winter is the most boring season, as we cannot do much for our beloved cacti when the weather is not on their side. Luckily, there is a cactus out there for us, waiting to find a place in our collection during the holidays – the Christmas cactus. This might be a surprise plant for Christmas since it does not have the common needles and berries we are used to. But it surely is more than that!

There is nothing that can compare with the evergreen pseudo-leaves and lovely flowers of the Christmas cactus. This plant will bring any dull corner back to life in little to no time thanks to its cascading overall appearance. Its blossoms can appear in various shades of pink to red.

Unlike most other succulent species, the Christmas cactus will demand a generous amount of water to keep its health at optimum levels. It does best in partial shade or diffused light, but it can adapt to other lighting conditions. Soil-wise, it does not matter in which substrate you plant it as long as it is more on the acidic side.

Yuletide Camellia (Camellia Sasanqua ‘Yuletide’)

Without a doubt, Camellia is already a well-known flowering plant worldwide due to its gorgeous looks and easy-going nature. This ornamental captivates our senses with dark green foliage and, in some climates, it can also bear flowers during the winter. We have chosen the ‘Yuletide’ Camellia cultivar, particularly for its bright red blossoms. The dark green leaves mixed with vibrant red blooms look very festive for Christmas.

‘Yuletide’ Camellia is an evergreen ornamental that knows exactly what it needs and how to get it. If you want it to produce its adorable flowers, your plant will demand supplemental fertilizing before the winter. You can feed it with a slow-release fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen three times a year: early spring, late spring, and lastly in mid-summer.

This shrubby friend will have the time of its life if you provide it with partial shade or some dappled sunlight daily. It would be wise to plant your ‘Yuletide’ Camellia in loamy, well-drained soil, and keep it consistently moist with about one inch (2.5 cm) of water per week.

Paperwhite Narcissus (Narcissus Papyraceus)

You might be surprised by this plant suggestion but if you think about it, white flowers will complement any Christmas decor. You can grow these flowers in containers or keep them in a flower vase. A few pure Paperwhites will balance all that hypnotic green and red mix. These plants are some of the most popular flowering plants to grow indoors over the winter. And you cannot miss the opportunity to be super trendy among your friends or family this year!

As with all the plants from the Narcissus genus, Paperwhites enchant us with many clusters of blossoms that emerge atop alluring green stems. The flowers are relatively small, snowy white, and feature a delightful fragrance while in bloom. Their sweet perfume will combine nicely with the characteristic freshness of the holidays – piney and citrusy. If you want to have in-bloom Paperwhites around Christmas, you must start them in November, as they take about six weeks to produce flowers.

While Paperwhite bulbs do well in pots filled with soil, it is better to grow yours in containers of water with some marbles or stones to secure them in place. The blooms will last longer if you place the container in a cool spot where the plants can get indirect to diffused light.

Frosty Fern (Selaginella Kraussiana)

The Frosty fern is one of those ornamental plants that hit the garden shops just in time for the Christmas holidays. Although it contains the word ”fern” in its name, this fellow is not a fern at all. It is an evergreen plant that produces numerous small leaves, forming an overall fern-like view.

The most amazing feature of the Frosty fern is, obviously, its foliage. This plant exhibits green leaves with dazzling tints of white at their tips, making it look like it has been frosted with snow. A very curious appearance for a tropical species, but it is a fabulous addition during the winter months.

Being a tropical plant, the Frosty fern thrives with high humidity levels. The easiest way to achieve its demanded humidity is by growing yours on pebble trays or in a terrarium, as these mediums will help you keep the humidity around the plant above 70%. You can also mist it regularly if the air in the room is too dry. Beyond this, the Frosty fern prefers medium to low light and warm temperatures.

Other Examples of Festive Plants

• Amaryllis
• Rosemary
• Anthurium
• Gardenia
• Silver Bush
• Cotton Lavender
• Croton
• Curry Plant
• Lamb’s Ears
• Dusty Miller
• Polka Dot Plant
• Rex Begonia
• Jerusalem Cherry
• Euphorbia Milii
• Bloodleaf
• Coral Bead
• Blue Fescue
• Bottlebrush
• Ixora
• Lipstick Plant
• Caladium

In Conclusion

Choosing the perfect Christmas plants can be a challenge, especially since there are so many options available in supermarkets and flower shops. Whether you opt for Poinsettias, Ferns, Christmas cacti, or Mistletoe, your home will surely look amazing and the plants of your choosing will match any Christmas decor perfectly. Bringing in seasonal plants is a great way to spruce up your home and make it feel cosier and more alive while also giving it a festive look. Potted plants are always a better option than cut flowers and plastic ornaments, and the best thing about them is that you will be able to enjoy them throughout the seasons, not just during the holidays.

What are your favourite Christmas plants? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Article Sources

1. https://www.anbg.gov.au/mistletoe/what-is-mistletoe.html
2. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/selaginella-kraussiana/
3. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/48820/i-narcissus-papyraceus-i-(13)/details

The post Best Container Plants for Christmas Décor: Complete Buyer’s Guide appeared first on GardenBeast.

Nicotiana Alata belongs to the tobacco family, is an annual herbaceous perennial plant, and is commonly known as Flowering tobacco, Jasmine tobacco, Sweet tobacco, Winged tobacco, Tanbku or Persian tobacco. This flowering plant is native to the Americas, Australia, Southwestern Africa and the South Pacific.

Curious to learn more about Nicotiana alata a.k.a. Flowering tobacco? Keep reading our guide and become an expert grower!

Quick Facts

About Flowering Tobacco

• You can harvest the blossoms of your Nicotiana alata plant and use them in flower arrangements. Thanks to their elegant little blooms and strong jasmine scent, flowering tobacco blooms represent a great choice for cut flower arrangements.
• Nicotiana alata is excellent as a bedding plant and when grown in an ornamental flower bed, it adds a variety of colours, forms and fragrances. You can plant tall flower varieties close to your window, deck or porch from where you can enjoy the fragrance and see the butterflies and hummingbirds that will visit the blooms.
• You can group newer hybrid varieties with other types of flowers or even with other varieties of Nicotiana. Their strong fragrance attracts nighttime pollinators like moths and Lepidoptera which makes them a wonderful plant addition to your garden.
• In the gardening world, Flowering tobacco is primarily grown for its ornamental characteristics and its strong jasmine-like fragrance and many cultivars and hybrids are derived from it. It is a popular summer plant that comes in a wide variety of colours and sizes. It is a perfect choice if planted near a seating area as it has amazing scented flowers.
• There are several types of Flowering tobacco that differ in size, colour and other characteristics. The three most known varieties of Flowering tobacco are ‘Lime Green’ which reaches around 0.6 meters tall and has very fragrant flowers, ‘Nicki red’ which grows 0.5 meters in height and has deep red blooms, and last but not least ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ which has rich purple flowers and also grows about 0.6 meters tall.
• The plant is not pet friendly as it contains toxic substances like alkaloid nicotine and anabasine which are toxic to humans too if ingested in large quantities.
• All parts of the plant contain nicotine which is extracted and used as an insecticide. Also, you need to be aware of the fact that small amounts of nicotine can be mildly toxic to both humans and animals. Although is not very probable to ingest large amounts of Nicotiana alata by accident, it would be wise to keep children and pets away from the plant.

Nicotiana Alata Features: An Overview

• Nicotiana Alata is a tender herbaceous perennial from the Solanaceae (Nightshade) family native to South America which can grow up to 0.60 meters tall.
• The flowers are shaped like rosettes with textured, wavy margins that have a very strong fragrance, released especially in the evening and night.
• The colours of the flowers vary from green to yellow or even white. The flowers are produced on triangular raceme structures. This is a form of unbranched inflorescence where the oldest flowers are formed at the base and the new blooms appear at the tip as the plant is growing.
• The attractive and fragrant blooms of Flowering tobacco open only at night, so this plant makes a perfect addition to moon gardens.
• Nicotiana alata flowers have five star-shaped petals, but the petals are fused into a long tube that hangs down on the stem. Their bloom season is from early summer to the first frost.
• The leaves grow to a length of approximately 25 cm and are much larger than the flowers. They can be dark green or light green with larger spatulate leaves and winged petioles at the base of the plant. The leaves from the tip of the plant tend to be smaller.
• Nicotiana alata is a great companion plant for mound-forming flowers like Portulaca or Lobelia. Flowering tobacco can make a great companion plant for a wide range of ornamentals, but it is important to keep in mind that some plants are incompatible with Tobacco jasmine, among them are mint, onion, anise, carrot or pumpkin.

Growing Flowering Tobacco

Nicotiana alata is generally grown and sold as an annual plant, although some species of nicotiana flower are short-lived perennials. Nicotiana alata grows in moist, very well-drained soil, it needs full sun but can also develop in partial shade.

Flowering tobacco needs at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days. If you live in a very hot climate, provide plants with some shade too in the afternoon. The Flowering tobacco plant needs warm weather and warm soil to establish itself.

Immediately after planting, feed the plant with a balanced organic fertiliser. After that, you can continue to feed it monthly throughout the development stage. The development period lasts from early summer to the first frost in the fall. It also prefers soil that is rich in organic matter with a pH between 6.1 to 7.8. The flowers that wither need to be cut off the plant in order to let the new blooms develop.

Even though Nicotiana alata is treated as an annual plant, it is actually a short-lived perennial and that is the reason why it can be overwintered outdoors in milder areas given a thick, dry mulch. Also if you live in an area where temperatures generally drop below 10 degrees Celsius you will have to cover the plants. It is important to protect this plant from freezing temperatures as Nicotiana plants are known to be highly sensitive to colder climates where they might suffer irreparable damage and even die.

One important tip when it comes to growing and caring for your Nicotiana alata is that you have to keep the plants weeded and remove or thin out any self-sown seedlings from previous years. Self-sown seedlings from hybrid varieties tend not to flower as generously as the new plants. You will have to remove these seedlings each spring in order to have vigorous plants with many flowers.

When growing nicotiana alata, make sure not to plant it near vegetable gardens where you grow other nightshade plants like tomatoes, potatoes or pepper, as they may share and spread viruses like the Tobacco mosaic virus.

Generally, nicotiana alata does not have any notable problems with insects or pests, but it is susceptible to aphids and the remedy to this issue is water spray or insecticidal soap. Another common issue is represented by the tobacco budworms who eat holes in the buds and eat plant seeds in the summer. You can try to pick them up at dusk when they come to feed. By tilling your annual beds you can help destroy the pupae and decrease populations the next year.

Planting Flowering Tobacco

If you want to plant Nicotiana alata in your flower garden you will only have to scatter seeds in the early weeks of spring and be a little patient before you can enjoy your flowering tobacco plants fully blooming, as the flowers will appear only at the beginning of August. If you want to shorten the waiting period, plant the tiny seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before the final frost and be sure to keep the seeds in a place where the temperature will not go below 17 degrees Celsius.

Place the seeds on the soil, but not very deep as the seeds need to have sufficient light in order to properly germinate. After approximately ten days the sprouts will appear and soon after that, little rosettes will appear too. If the seedlings turn yellow, it means that you need to water them more frequently.

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You can also enrich the soil with a weekly dose of fish emulsion and a balanced mixture of water, soluble feed and granular mix in a proportion of 20-20-20. When the seedlings start to be more established you can slowly expose them to outdoor life, increasing the time of exposure each day, until they are outdoors all day long. This way at the beginning of the summer you will have the first blooms of Nicotiana alata in your garden.

When planting Nicotiana alata be sure to maintain enough space between plants. It is recommended to plant them at approximately  30 to 35 cm distance from one another so that each plant has enough space to develop. If they get enough space, Nicotiana alata plants can reach 1 to 1.5 meters in height.

Watering Flowering Tobacco

Nicotiana alata plants need well-watered soil, but be sure not to keep them in soggy soil. To keep your plants healthy and happy, make sure you water them regularly, but do not allow them to stand in water for too long. To prevent the roots of the plant from standing in water and avoid fungus formation, be sure to grow your Flowering tobacco plants in airy soil and use ground watering methods.

The easiest way to determine how frequently to water your Nicotiana alata is by taking into consideration a few important factors like soil type, sun conditions and temperature. When you notice that the soil is completely dried out, that means that you have to water the plant. However, when the surface of the soil is still wet there is no need to add more water. With the monitorization of the soil, you ensure the plant’s balance of moisture which will keep it healthy and prevent any fungus outbreaks.

Propagating Flowering Tobacco

If you want to have more Nicotiana alata plants in your home or garden you can consider growing them from seeds. This is the most common way to propagate this plant. You can also let the plants grow freely and allow them to sow their next generation without any help from you but this method requires more patience as the plants will bloom in summer and that is when the propagation process will begin.

As mentioned above, you can harvest Flowering tobacco seeds yourself. The most important aspect is to know when the seeds are ripe. The blossom starts to change its colour immediately after it was pollinated and it might even turn brown and whiter. Once the seeds are ready to harvest, the seed pod will be brown and have a dry texture.

The only thing that you will need to do is to hold your hand under the seed pod and shake the stem gently. the bottom end will open up and release the seeds in your palm. After that, spread the seeds in a cool, dry spot for a couple of days or until they are completely dried. Seal them into an envelope or a paper bag and use a sticky note where to write the name of the plant and the date for easy identification next year.

To grow your new Nicotiana alata plants from seeds, place them in small containers using a mixture of soil and compost or a seed-starting mixture in the last weeks of winter or the first days of spring. Sprinkle just a little amount of soil over the seeds and then keep the containers in a warm place until germination takes place. The seeds will germinate within two to three weeks from planting. Once the weather is warm and there is no danger of frost, you can move your seedlings into your outdoor garden.

In Conclusion

If you are searching for a plant that has a very strong fragrance and comes in many colours,  Nicotiana alata is the plant you are looking for. It is perfect for growing around a sitting area and especially for the late summer nights when it will release its jasmine-like perfume. It makes a great cut flower in arrangements that can enhance the beauty of any room and fill it with a pleasant smell.

Nicotiana alata is a low-maintenance plant, it only needs a place with at least six hours of exposure to direct sunlight, moderate watering and well-drained soil enriched with good-quality compost. Just remember that the plant contains a toxic substance called alkaloid nicotine which is toxic to pets and humans when ingested, so might want to avoid growing it if you have furry companions or small children.

Are you growing Flowering tobacco? Share your experience in the comments section!

Flowering Tobacco

Can you smoke flowering tobacco?

Flowering tobacco, belonging to the genus Nicotiana, is closely related to the tobacco used in cigarettes (Nicotiana tabacum). While it’s technically possible to smoke any part of the plant, flowering tobacco varieties are not grown or processed for this purpose, and smoking them can result in a harsh taste and potentially harmful effects due to the presence of various alkaloids. Always exercise caution and avoid smoking plants that aren’t specifically cultivated for that purpose.

Is flowering tobacco poisonous?

Yes, all parts of flowering tobacco plants, like other Nicotiana species, contain nicotine and other alkaloids that can be toxic if ingested in large amounts. This can be especially dangerous for pets and children if they consume parts of the plant. Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include vomiting, increased salivation, tremors, and in severe cases, respiratory failure and death.

Is flowering tobacco edible?

No, flowering tobacco is not considered edible. As mentioned, it contains nicotine and other alkaloids that can be harmful when ingested.

What is the use of flowering tobacco?

Flowering tobacco, especially species like Nicotiana alata and Nicotiana sylvestris, is primarily grown as an ornamental plant. Its tubular flowers are fragrant, especially in the evening, and they attract hummingbirds, moths, and other pollinators. The plants can be a beautiful and aromatic addition to gardens. Some indigenous cultures have also used various Nicotiana species in ceremonial or shamanic practices, though these uses are specific to certain cultures and traditions.

Article Sources

1. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a597
2. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nicotiana-alata/
3. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/103915/nicotiana-alata/details

The post Nicotiana Alata Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Flowering Tobacco” appeared first on GardenBeast.

Morning Glory, also known as Ipomoea, is an ornamental vining flower that grows in most places around the world annually or perennially. Requiring little care, it is quite popular with gardeners. Morning glories can often be found outdoors adorning walls, fences, or pergolas but also indoors in containers.

Most species of Ipomoea are native to tropical America, although they can be found spread across temperate and subtropical areas in Asia. The name Morning Glory can refer to various types such as Ipomoea, Convolvulus, Merremia, or Calystegia. However, you don’t have to worry about proper identification, as seed packets or plant tags always indicate its species and genus.

News of Ipomoea’s beauty has spread far and wide, capturing the attention of plant aficionados from different cultures around the globe. In Chinese tradition, the short life of a Morning Glory flower is a symbol for the finite amount of time we have in this world. In the Victorian era, the Morning Glory represented a love that never ends.

Morning Glory flowers have also inspired internationally acclaimed artists such as Sopheap Pich, Suzuki Kiitsu, and Georgia O’Keeffe to create paintings and sculptures. It is also often mentioned in literature, poetry, and folklore. Let’s find out more about this delicate and versatile plant.

About Morning Glory

• Morning glory flowers bloom splendidly in the morning and wilt by the afternoon.
• Because they are most magnificent in September, they are nicknamed back-to-school vines.
• The Morning Glory has been used for medicinal purposes in Mesoamerican and Asian countries for centuries. Tea brewed from its roots was used as an expectorant and diuretic, while the tea from its leaves was a popular remedy for headaches.
• Mesoamerican tribes would consume Morning Glory seeds in rituals for their hallucinogenic properties.
• People have also used the species Ipomoea alba in the fabrication of rubber, and the sulfur in its juice to vulcanize rubber.
• Morning Glories can tolerate a variety of conditions. In colder climates, they are mostly annual plants, although some species can tolerate the winter cold.
• Ipomoea Aquatica, or water spinach, is a variety commonly used as a green vegetable in Asian cuisines. However, in the U.S. it is illegal to grow, sell, import, or possess without a permit.

Morning Glory Features: An Overview

• Because of their tolerance for poor, dry soils, beauty, and fast growth rate, gardeners use them to create summer shade on building walls, thus keeping the building cooler.
• Unlike other vines, they do not grow roots for climbing, so you will need a trellis or lattice. On the bright side, you won’t have to worry about Morning Glories damaging your walls.
• Popular varieties for Ipomoea include ‘Heavenly Blue’, ‘Sunspots’, moonflower, the cardinal climber, and the cypress vine. The moonflower is a species of night-blooming Morning Glory.
• The common Morning Glory has heart-shaped leaves and fragile trumped-shaped flowers that appear in a wide range of colors, including purple-blue, red, magenta, white, pink, and bicolor.
• Their colorful flowers are quite fragrant, beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies. Also, they might attract rabbits, groundhogs, or deer.
• Morning Glory seeds are poisonous to animals and children, so keep them out of their reach.
• You might have noticed that Morning Glories resemble sweet potatoes with their leaves and flowers. These two plants belong to the same genus, Ipomoea.

Growing Morning Glory

This fast-growing vine is an excellent choice for gardeners who want to decorate vertical objects, pergolas, or cover an ugly fence. The Morning Glory thrives in the sunniest conditions, so place it in hot and open locations. Nonetheless, it will tolerate very light shade. Make sure you offer slender support to twist around. Alternatively, Morning Glories can also be used as a beautiful ground cover.

All these twisting and crawling vines can become a hassle, so if you’re not committed to cleaning up regularly, this plant might not be the right choice for your garden. Old flowers should be removed before they form seedpods and cover your entire garden.

Heavy overgrowth can be managed by pruning the plant and leaving only 30 to 40 percent. You can also grow them outdoors in pots to keep them contained. Perennials should be allowed to stay in place during winter, and require just some cut-off in the spring.

Morning Glory plants are very easy to grow and require very little attention while established. Surprisingly, it can thrive in any type of soil, and they seem to do quite well in poor soil types. Ipomoea produces more flowers when it is stressed, in an attempt to reproduce and create another generation.

Because of this, many gardeners believe that it doesn’t need to be fertilized. Morning Glories do require monthly fertilizer during the growing season. Until the plant is comfortable in the new environment, keep the soil constantly moist and well-drained.

If you plan on growing these beautiful flowers indoors, make sure there’s a string lattice or a wire in front of a sunny window that they can climb. Luckily, Ipomoea will bloom abundantly all year round as a house plant. For best results, make sure the soil is moist, not soggy, and with good drainage.  Do not overfertilize, or you will get more foliage than flowers.

Morning Glory plants are low-maintenance and are rarely bothered by pests. However, you might see aphids, spider mites, beetles, or leaf miners feeding on the vines. If you notice any pests, try to pick them up by hand, as using chemicals will impact the health of pollinators and beneficial insects.

Watering Morning Glory

Outdoors, Morning Glories don’t need much in regards to watering. Normally, they can survive and thrive on rainfall alone. However, during periods of droughts, it is important to help them out with a soaking once or twice per week.

If you live in an area that has less than one inch of rain per week, or if your plant is indoors in a container, you should also water them weekly. During winter, cut back watering. If you notice black rot and rust, your plant might be too wet, or the air circulation might be poor. Remember, less is more with the Morning Glory!

At planting and during establishment, Morning Glories require consistent watering. If you are planting seeds, make sure to soak them in warm water for 24 hours to ensure germination. After planting, keep the soil constantly moist to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm).

If it dries out, the seeds might not germinate, so check it every two or three days. Seedlings also require moisture to grow strong roots. Outdoors, weekly watering should be sufficient. Water indoor seedlings twice per week or when the soil feels dry.

Propagating Morning Glory

Morning Glories can be easily propagated by seeds planted directly in the garden after the soil has warmed up and there is no threat of frost. Indoors, you can start the seeds approximately 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. These gracious plants are slow to flower. If you live in an area with a short growing season, it is best to start Morning Glories from indoor seeds.

Harvesting the seeds is quite easy, and can be a fun project to do with the family. Just look through the vines and take some dead flowers that are ready to drop off. Next, crack open the pod at the end of the stem. If the seeds are black, collect them in a paper bag. Place the bag in a warm, dark place and allow them to dry for one week. To see if the seeds are ready, pierce one with your thumbnail. If they are too hard to puncture, they need more time drying.

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Don’t forget that seeds have a thick coat, so to ensure successful germination, they need a little bit of help. We suggest to rub them with sandpaper or an emery board and keep them in water for 24 hours. Alternatively, you can nick them before planting. Normally, germination takes about one week at 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit (20-26 °C).

Ipomoea does not like to be transplanted. Biodegradable pots are the best option for your seeds, as they reduce damage to the roots. Just place them directly into the ground and in time they will completely disappear.

Sow the seeds about ½ inch deep and make sure they have 8 to 12 inches spacing around them. Be very careful, as the vines grow very fast and can get tangled up. Once the seedlings are 6 inches tall, it is time to provide some support for them. If you are planting in suspended pots, you can simply let them spill over the edge.

In Conclusion

Morning Glories are beautiful and low-maintenance plants, popular with gardeners from around the world. Their flowers bloom splendidly in the morning and wilt by the afternoon. This short-lived beauty has made them symbols of love and the passing of time in many cultures.

Although they require little care and are great for decorating vertical objects, overgrowing can become a hassle. Luckily, they don’t require a lot of water and can be easily propagated from seeds. Morning Glory vines can bring old-fashioned charm to any garden or indoor space. We believe the hardest decision about Morning Glories is not whether you should get one or not, but which color to choose!

The post Morning Glory Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Ipomoea” appeared first on GardenBeast.

When you are a passionate admirer of flowers, your plant family will always be ready to accommodate another irresistible member. The truth is that Gazania is a must-have in every collector’s garden. Many people appreciate it not only for its charming appearance but also for its easy-going style.

Not convinced yet? Keep reading to find out more about this flower and, by the end of this article, you will surely fall in love with it!

Gazania is a genus that contains about 18 species of colourful and hypnotic flowering plants. The flowers of the Gazania genus are native to southern and tropical Africa, growing mostly in open grass veld areas, rocky cliffs, and coastal areas. They have become naturalized and widely cultivated in several regions worldwide as ornamental plants.

The most representative members of this interesting genus are G. rigens (syn. G. splendens), G. linearis, and G. krebsiana. In cultivation, many gardeners commonly know these plants as Treasure flowers or African daisies. They are very easy to grow and care for, adapting to a wide range of conditions including cloudy weather or prolonged drought.

About Gazania

• Gazania plants come in numerous varieties, such as ‘Aztec’, ‘Big Kiss White Flame’, ‘Sunburst’, ‘Burgundy’, ‘Fiesta Red’, ‘Sunglow’, ‘Moonglow’, ‘Copper King’, ‘Goldrush’, or ‘Sunrise Yellow’.
• Thanks to their spectacular flowers, cultivars like G. ‘Aztec’, G. ‘Cookei’, G. rigens ‘Variegata’, and G. ‘Talent Series’ have gained the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• People named these plants after a Greek-Italian scholar from the 15^th century called Theodorus of Gaza.
• African daisies are versatile landscape plants, looking very pretty in rock gardens, xeriscape gardens, Mediterranean gardens, or as edging along sunny paths. Some gardeners use them as fillers for younger shrubs.
• These plants will add a nice dash of colour in masses on slopes and banks, where they can also help in controlling soil erosion. They make for lovely additions indoors in pots.
• Some herbaceous species of Gazania played a big part in traditional medicine. Many folks used these plants to prevent miscarriage and as a treatment for toothache, sore eyes, headache, earache, or pneumonia.
• Gazania plants have various medical properties beneficial for health including antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and purgative.
• They prefer bright and direct light, warm to hot temperatures, and soils with good drainage. These plants require less water than other species of flowering plants.
• African daisies have no known toxic effects. You can grow them safely around your curious children and pets.

Gazania Features: An Overview

• Gazania plants belong to the large and well-known Asteraceae family. They share this family with Daisies, Sunflowers, and Asters.
• They are tender, warm-weather perennials that can reach from 6 to 10 inches (15-25 cm) in height and up to 10 inches (25 cm) in width. In cooler areas, gardeners usually grow these plants as annuals.
• There are two main types of Gazania flowers: trailing and clumping. Although both types grow at the same size, trailing Gazanias spread quicker by slender and trailing stems.
• Gazanias produce long, leathery to hairy, narrow or divided and green to silvery grey leaves. Overall, these plants show off a clumping of grass-like foliage.
• In warm conditions, Gazania plants bloom sporadically from late spring through early summer. In regions with mild winters, they produce flowers intermittently in the rest of the seasons.
• Their daisy-like blossoms measure up to 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter and come in various cheerful colour mixes of white, bright yellow, reddish, orange, or pink.
• The petals of African daisy can exhibit extra patterns, such as a ring of black dots or a dark starburst surrounding the gold-like flower centre. In general, their flowers close in cloudy weather or during nighttime.
• Gazania plants make for great companions to other curious species of plants including Blue Chalksticks, Century Plant, Coral Aloe, Cosmos, Globe Amaranth, Madagascar Periwinkle, Mexican Daisy, and Verbena.

Growing Gazania

If you are looking for a high-impact bloomer that is also low-maintenance, Gazania plants are exactly what you are looking for! These stunning and trouble-free plants are one of a kind, thriving in almost any environmental condition with minimal care. Due to this, they are perfect for all gardeners out there, especially beginners.

When it comes to lighting, Gazania plants do well in locations where they can receive plenty of full sunlight daily. Although they can also tolerate partial to full shade, it is not wise to keep your plants in these conditions for too long. Morning or afternoon shade will cause their flowers to stay closed for a big part of the day. Moreover, your plants may grow lanky, exceeding their ordinary height.

In general, Treasure flowers grow at their best as perennials in hot and dry climates. These plants prefer areas with mid-warm to warmer temperatures all year round. In regions with cooler temperatures, they will show nice results if you grow them as annual plants.

In terms of pest infestations and diseases, Gazania plants are typically free of trouble in proper conditions. However, if you over-winter these flowers indoors, you should inspect them regularly for intruders like aphids and mealybugs.

Mealybugs feed on the leaves of Gazania plants and are usually easy to spot. If you notice any suspect presence on your plants, handpick the intruders right away to prevent any future spread. You can also remove the infected parts of your beloved flowers and apply neem oil on the foliage.

The sap-sucking aphids appear in colonies and are very easy to distinguish by their yellowish to orange colour. In case of infestation, spray or wipe the leaves of your plants with a mixture of water and dish soap. For severe cases, make sure you apply suitable eco-friendly insecticides or pesticides.

Planting Gazania

In both outdoor and indoor settings, Gazania plants will do just fine in a wide range of soils and growing conditions. Yet, they usually perform best in sandy soils that have excellent drainage. If you want to grow your flowers indoors, plant them in a container that has drainage holes at the bottom.

In their natural habitat, African daisies grow in soils with low fertility. These plants are highly independent by nature. They do not require compost applications nor supplemental fertilizing to thrive, so you can forget about fertilizers for good.

Gazania plants are very adaptable for over-wintering indoors. If you live in a region with cooler climates, you can transplant them in pots and bring them inside until next spring. In late autumn, dig up your in-bloom plants and plant them in containers filled with fresh potting soil. Their flowers, however, will not last indoors for too long. You must cut your plants back, keep them in a sunny and cool window, and water them when the top layer of soil seems dry.

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• African Daisy Mix, also known as Cape Marigold has colorful blooms making it perfect for flower gardens in USDA Zones: 3 - 10.
• These easy to establish annual daisies attract butterflies and are a great bee plant growing up to 12 inches tall.
• Sow these heirloom Dimorphotheca Aurantiaca seeds at 4 ounces per 1,000 square feet or 2 -3 seeds per plant in well-draining soil.
• African Daisy wildflower seed needs to be kept continually moist until germination occurs which is generally in 10 - 21 days.
• Our seeds are always Non-GMO and packaged for the current year.

$7.49

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Bestseller No. 2

Outsidepride African Daisy Orange - 1000 Seeds

• African Daisy Orange, also known as Cape Marigold has colorful blooms making it perfect for flower gardens in USDA Zones: 3 - 10.
• These easy to establish annual daisies attract butterflies and are a great bee plant growing up to 12 inches tall.
• Sow these heirloom Dimorphotheca Aurantiaca seeds at 4 ounces per 1,000 square feet or 2 -3 seeds per plant in well-draining soil.
• African Daisy wildflower seed needs to be kept continually moist until germination occurs which is generally in 10 - 21 days.
• Our seeds are always Non-GMO and packaged for the current year.

$7.49

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Bestseller No. 3

African Daisy Flake Flower Seeds, 1500+ Seeds Per Packet, (Isla's Garden Seeds), 85% Germination Rate, Non GMO & Heirloom Seeds, Scientific Name: Dimorphotheca sinuata

• African Daisy Flake is bright with color and a fantastic addition to your home garden or home landscaping!
• These beautiful flowers are known for their vibrant yellow and orange petals with a deep purple center. It's recommended to start growing the seeds inside during the later weeks of winter, making sure that the soil is constantly moist and at a consistent temperature- around 65 or 70 degrees F. Once the soil outside has warmed, transplant the seedings outdoors, making sure to wait a good duration after the final frost of the winter.
• African Daisy (Dimorphotheca sinuata) Flake Seed originate, as the name would imply, in Africa, and are also known as Cape Marigolds. These beautiful flowers are known for their vibrant yellow and orange petals with a deep purple center.
• Hardiness Zones: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12: For more of Isla's Garden Seed products, enter Isla's Garden Seeds into your search bar on Amazon!
• Please post photos of your flowers in a review! - Isla's Garden

$5.99

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Last update on 2024-11-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Watering Gazania

Due to their leathery and semi-succulent foliage, Gazania plants are fairly tolerant of drought for long periods. These plants are great for any type of plant lover, especially for beginners or those that have a forgetful mind.

Keep in mind that it is always better to under-water these beauties than providing them with more water than needed. Over-watering can result in root rot and will also increase the chances for fungal diseases to appear.

To avoid this situation, make sure you always check the soil in-between waterings. When their growing medium has dried out completely, this is the perfect time to spoil your Gazania plants with a deep soaking.

Propagating Gazania

The mixture of their silver-like foliage and alluring flowers is what makes Gazania plants worth having around. And once you begin your journey beside these flowers, it will be very hard to part ways with them! But what if we told you that you can have these companions in your plant family for as long as possible? Well, propagating them is the key to do it!

You can easily propagate Treasure flowers through cuttings, no matter how much experience you have in the gardening world. In autumn, make sure you are taking some basal stem cuttings from the area where new growth shows up. Each basal cutting should contain three to five shoots to grow properly.

Once you have your cuttings, plant them in containers filled with suitable potting soil. Keep the Gazania cuttings indoors in a location with bright light. Moreover, provide them with water whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. With proper care, your cuttings will develop a healthy root system in a relatively short time. When the last danger of frost has passed, you can transplant the tiny Gazanias in the garden or their own pots.

In Conclusion

Unlike other species of flowering plants, Gazanias have no high demands from their owners. As long as you meet their basic needs, these flowers will be by your side for a long time, especially in warm climates.

Besides lots of love, Gazania plants thrive with plenty of full sunlight, warm temperatures, well-draining soils, and seldom watering. And if you live in a region with cooler climates, no worries! You can grow them as annuals or propagate them easily to enjoy their unique flowers the next year.

The post Gazania Guide: How to Grow & Care for “African Daisies” appeared first on GardenBeast.