TROPAEOLUM SPECIOSUM

Description

Sheets of dazzling scarlet flowers cascading amidst pretty, delicate, divided leaves, adorn this gorgeous plant throughout midsummer. This fabulous Chilean native prefers peat to be incorporated into the soil, when it will make countless, long-lived hardy tubers. It is happiest when planted under dark shrubs, when it will soon establish and scramble over them, especially boring evergreen ones that have either finished, or are yet to flower. Finally, in late summer and autumn, bright blue shiny berries are formed. Just a few hundred fresh seeds are collected here every autumn! We collect less and less each year.....

Sowing Advice

Sow seeds at any time onto a good, damp soil-based compost, covering seeds to approximately their own depth. Keep the seed tray below 5 degrees C for many weeks, as these seeds are cold-germinators and can be extremely slow and erratic in germinating, sometimes waiting for spring before emerging. Do not try to force germination with heat, IT WILL NOT WORK. Do not discard the seed tray for at least a year. Grow on in 3 inch pots, do not over water. Plant with climbing support in a well-drained spot or very large pot.

Key Facts