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Re: Cerinthe seeds

The T&M database is certainly helpful... but it's not perfect!

I find that in zone 8 at least, Cerinthe major and its forms and the
splendid C. retorta are best sown in late summer or allowed to self sow as
they do in the wild. They then establish before the winter, getting their
roots down to a depth where moisture reserves will be more consistent by
the spring and early summer and make larger and more impressive plants.
I've just been out to check and my self sown C. retorta plants are 12-15in
high, and as much across and have branched naturally to give about 12
stems. Alongside, annual Mediterranean lupins and chrysanthemums have done
much the same. It's been a mild winter generally, but I've had -7C.

There seems some evidence that if kept dry for too long, the coat of
cerithe seeds can harden (like that of sweet peas) and so germimnate
poorly. Rubbing with sandpaper or a nailfile, or overnight soaking, helps.

Also, I wonder if Cerinthe 'Kiwi Blue' is the same as T&M's C. major var.
purpurascens? Or is it the same as C. retorta? T&M's plant is,
surprisingly, a perennial in zone 8 (albeit short lived). It may be that
annual cerithes perenniate in zone 9 - even though they do not generally do
so in thier Mediterranean homes.

Finally, it's worth making the point here that contrary to much popular
opinion no cerinthes grow wild in New Zealand - a blue-bracted form has
been grown there in gardens for some time, although it's still not
completely certain what exactly this is - the T&M plant, I suspect.

Graham Rice
Northamptonshire UK zone 8
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