Cineraria Maritima Silver Dust

Mounds of silvery white foliage, stunning in daylight glowing eerily in night gardens, make dusty miller a favorite of gardeners everywhere. This perennial is often grown as an annual and is native to southern Europe mostly Italy.

Botanically known as a sub-shrub, dusty miller will develop a woody base with age. The plants are evergreen and well branched. The leaves alternate each other on the stem. They are extremely variable, most are oblong to oval, much divided and often look like feathers.

Sow in late winter/early spring at 15-24C (65-75F) on the surface of a good seed compost. Keep soil damp but not wet. Do not exclude light, sealing in a polythene bag after sowing is helpful. Germination usually takes 10-21 days.

When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant into 7.5cm (3in) pots and grow on in cooler conditions. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost 15-20cm (6-8in) apart in a sunny spot on light well drained soil.

Cultivation:
Cineraria does best in well drained, even sandy soils with regular watering. It is fairly drought tolerant once established, but should be watered during prolonged dry periods. New plantings may require daily watering, especially in sandy soils, until the roots are well developed. To encourage new basal growth, and to keep the plants bushy appearance, pinch off the flowers regularly, removing any lengthening stems.

Plant Uses:

City/Courtyard Gardens, Cottage/Informal Garden, Flowers Borders and Beds or Patio/Container Plants. Xeriscaping. Dried arrangements.

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Check our video on best method for good germination of seeds