Having googled this, I'm confused: is it a hardy annual or a tender
(Mediterranean) evergreen perennial?
I know it self-seeds, and I've also saved seeds for next spring, but
should I pull the plants up, or cut them down, or might they look
reasonable through the winter in an otherwise bare bed?

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

"Klara" wrote in message
...


Having googled this, I'm confused: is it a hardy annual or a tender
(Mediterranean) evergreen perennial?
I know it self-seeds, and I've also saved seeds for next spring, but
should I pull the plants up, or cut them down, or might they look
reasonable through the winter in an otherwise bare bed?

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

It's normally treated as an annual and if sown early enough it will reseed
the same year and in mild conditions produce more plants the same year which
if you are lucky will produce a display even in winter.

On 31/10/04 13:55, in article ,
"Klara" wrote:



Having googled this, I'm confused: is it a hardy annual or a tender
(Mediterranean) evergreen perennial?
I know it self-seeds, and I've also saved seeds for next spring, but
should I pull the plants up, or cut them down, or might they look
reasonable through the winter in an otherwise bare bed?

We find that it can go through the winter in some spots and die off but seed
itself in others. If you've saved seeds, it's probably worth trying it out
this winter to see how it does with you.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Klara" wrote in message
...


Having googled this, I'm confused: is it a hardy annual or a tender
(Mediterranean) evergreen perennial?
I know it self-seeds, and I've also saved seeds for next spring, but
should I pull the plants up, or cut them down, or might they look
reasonable through the winter in an otherwise bare bed?
Klara, Gatwick basin

I have the feeling that they might survive, but they usually look so straggly by
now that I tend to pull them up and start again next year with (self) seedlings.

I tried the yellow variety this year as well and was singularly unimpressed!
Jenny

In message , Rupert
writes
It's normally treated as an annual and if sown early enough it will
reseed the same year and in mild conditions produce more plants the
same year which if you are lucky will produce a display even in winter.

I don't see anything sprouting yet ... (
--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In message , Janet
Baraclough.. writes
or might they look
reasonable through the winter in an otherwise bare bed?

In Scotland it's annual. I've always pulled out the plants in Autumn
so don't know if they would last through winter; why not just try it
and see what hapens to them?

About half of them still look pretty good - I think I'll resist my
autumn-cleaning urge, as you suggest ...

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In message , Sacha
writes
or might they look
reasonable through the winter in an otherwise bare bed?

We find that it can go through the winter in some spots and die off but
seed itself in others. If you've saved seeds, it's probably worth
trying it out this winter to see how it does with you.

If they are just at the edge where you are, then I don't suppose they
will last here - but some are still a lovely colour, so it might be
worth giving it a try.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In message , JennyC
writes
I have the feeling that they might survive, but they usually look so
straggly by now that I tend to pull them up and start again next year
with (self) seedlings.

I tried the yellow variety this year as well and was singularly
unimpressed! Jenny

Some are still very pretty - I think I'll try those.

It's really the way the colour shades into the leaves that is so pretty,
so I imagine the yellow would look a bit washed out. I seem to have
ended up with nicandra physalodes, allium christophii, the cerinthe,
verbena bonariensis, white cosmos and lots of white and purple petunias,
so I think my colour prejudice seems to have run away with me ...

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

We find that it can go through the winter in some spots and die off but
seed itself in others. If you've saved seeds, it's probably worth
trying it out this winter to see how it does with you.

If they are just at the edge where you are, then I don't suppose they
will last here - but some are still a lovely colour, so it might be
worth giving it a try.
Yes mine are still loking good, I leave them and they often survive,
well worth a go

kate

The message
from "Rupert" contains these words:

It's normally treated as an annual and if sown early enough it will reseed
the same year and in mild conditions produce more plants the same year
which
if you are lucky will produce a display even in winter.

We grew some Cerinthe this year which have self seeded and are looking
very happy - so far. We are just leaving them to see what happens.
They look far too fleshy to survive frost ...

Will let you know what happens.

Jennifer - in Bristol

On 31/10/04 16:51, in article ,
"Klara" wrote:

snip It's really the way the colour shades into the leaves that is so
pretty,
so I imagine the yellow would look a bit washed out. I seem to have
ended up with nicandra physalodes, allium christophii, the cerinthe,
verbena bonariensis, white cosmos and lots of white and purple petunias,
so I think my colour prejudice seems to have run away with me ...

The funny thing is with these C. purpurescens plants that they can be quite
variable. Some are deeply contrasting in colour and very attractive, others
look quite anaemic.
Ray suggests that if you can grow it from seed and get it through winter
outside - with a bit of protection if necessary - it seems to give a better
colour.
I like the yellow but my husband has little time for it. Yellow is my
favourite colour, so I'm probably a bit biased.
Do you grow Verbena rigida and Origanum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen' too? The
latter is lovely grown over greyish stone, for example.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 31/10/04 17:39, in article , "Jennifer
Sparkes" wrote:

snip

We grew some Cerinthe this year which have self seeded and are looking
very happy - so far. We are just leaving them to see what happens.
They look far too fleshy to survive frost ...

Will let you know what happens.

I grew this in my last house, thought I'd certainly lost it after my first
winter in that frost pocket and found a mass of seedlings next spring, all
through the gravel. That might be a clue to its preferences!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In message , Sacha
writes
The funny thing is with these C. purpurescens plants that they can be
quite variable. Some are deeply contrasting in colour and very
attractive, others look quite anaemic.

I wonder whether the soil conditions affect the colour in some way -
acidity, or something else?

Ray suggests that if you can grow it from seed and get it through
winter outside - with a bit of protection if necessary - it seems to
give a better colour.

I'll mulch it thickly with leaf mould. But presumably getting it through
the winter doesn't necessarily mean the foliage? It could sprout again
from the roots? (My lack of experience is beginning to show through...)

I like the yellow but my husband has little time for it. Yellow is my
favourite colour, so I'm probably a bit biased. Do you grow Verbena
rigida and Origanum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen' too? The latter is
lovely grown over greyish stone, for example.
--
Not yet ... but I'm taking notes!!

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In article , Sacha
writes
On 31/10/04 16:51, in article ,
"Klara" wrote:

snip It's really the way the colour shades into the leaves that is so
pretty,
so I imagine the yellow would look a bit washed out. I seem to have
ended up with nicandra physalodes, allium christophii, the cerinthe,
verbena bonariensis, white cosmos and lots of white and purple petunias,
so I think my colour prejudice seems to have run away with me ...

The funny thing is with these C. purpurescens plants that they can be quite
variable. Some are deeply contrasting in colour and very attractive, others
look quite anaemic.
Ray suggests that if you can grow it from seed and get it through winter
outside - with a bit of protection if necessary - it seems to give a better
colour.
I like the yellow but my husband has little time for it. Yellow is my
favourite colour, so I'm probably a bit biased.

Is the yellow another garden variety or is it the wild plant?

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

On 31/10/04 18:56, in article ,
"Klara" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
The funny thing is with these C. purpurescens plants that they can be
quite variable. Some are deeply contrasting in colour and very
attractive, others look quite anaemic.

I wonder whether the soil conditions affect the colour in some way -
acidity, or something else?

Could be but we notice differences in plants here on not greatly differing
soils in the same area.

Ray suggests that if you can grow it from seed and get it through
winter outside - with a bit of protection if necessary - it seems to
give a better colour.

I'll mulch it thickly with leaf mould. But presumably getting it through
the winter doesn't necessarily mean the foliage? It could sprout again
from the roots? (My lack of experience is beginning to show through...)

Yes.

I like the yellow but my husband has little time for it. Yellow is my
favourite colour, so I'm probably a bit biased. Do you grow Verbena
rigida and Origanum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen' too? The latter is
lovely grown over greyish stone, for example.
--
Not yet ... but I'm taking notes!!

If you like the purply range of colour, I think you'll love those!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)