- Botanical name
- Nemesia caerulea. Sweet Surprise: N. fruticans
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
- Plant type
- Evergreen short lived perennial or annual. They are best treated as annuals but work hard for their time in the sun. Annuals are invaluable for adding quick and lasting colour to beds or containers, they grow, flower and die in a single season; tender perennials are sometimes group into this category as they are unlikely to overwinter.
- Size (HxW)
- 20-40cm x 20-30cm. Sweet Surprise: 20-30cm x 20-30cm
- Depth & Spacing
- Plant at the same level as in the pot with roots spread evenly below soil surface.
Space 20-35cm apart.
- Soil
- Moderately fertile to humus rich, moist, well drained soil is ideal. In pots use a good quality mix and add some slow release fertiliser.
- Aspect
- Full sun to semi shade
- Climate
- Cool to Mediterranean
- Frost
- Hardy – protect while young if you get hard frosts.
- Water
- Water to establish, and keep moist when in flower for best results.
- Fertiliser
- Apply a well-balanced fertiliser in spring as they begin to bloom. If it is in a pot, a regular application of a diluted liquid fertiliser will help to prolong and increase flowering.
- Flowering time
- Early spring to autumn.
- After Flower Care
- To keep the bushes tidy, cut back to half after initial flush, add some fertiliser and it will soon shoot into rebloom for autumn. You can pinch out spent blooms, but these new varieties are pretty well self cleaning.
- Notes
- This is excellent in bedding and borders, mass display, rockeries and containers.
