TOWNSENDIA INCANA

Description

This very handsome American plant has numerous large, long-rayed, golden-eyed white flowers which open on very short stems above a silvery dome of thin leaves. Incana is Latin for "hoary", and refers to the conspicuously white-hairy stems which are much whiter than the leaves. Whether grown in a pot, or as a beautiful rock garden specimen it is always superb, but as with many members of the compositae family rarely makes much viable seed! We offer a few good reliable seeds patiently sorted out from the handfuls of dead pappus.

Sowing Advice

Seeds can be sown at any time but are best sown in winter or early spring to benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost to break their dormancy. We advise covering seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit to about the depth of the seed size. If the seeds do not come up within 6 to 12 weeks the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in a fridge for about four weeks. They may still take very many months to appear, so please never discard the pot or tray.

Key Facts