About
A perennial usually grown as a half-hardy annual, making a mound to 15cm in height, with small, glossy leaves and dense racemes of yellow-eyed, violet flowers from late spring to late summer.
About the genus
Nemesia can be annuals, perennials or sub-shrubs of bushy habit, with simple, opposite leaves and 2-lipped flowers in short racemes or solitary in the leaf axils
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeAnnual Biennial, Bedding
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height1-2 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Patio and container plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow in moist, fertile soil in full sun. Flowering stops in dry weather unless watered freely. Pinch out growing tips to produce bushy plants, and instead of deadheading, trim off flowering shoots when initial flowering is finished to promote more flowers
PruningTrim off flowering shoots when first flush of flowers finished
PropagationTake softwood cuttings from the ends of non-flowering shoots in late summer and overwinter plants in frost-free conditions or take softwood cuttings in spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free, but may suffer from foot and root rots in wet soils