About
This upright annual 30-80cm high, with sticky, hairy stems, very intricately divided leaves up to 8cm long, and in summer flowers to 3.5cm across which may vary in colour from pink to violet and purple, occasionally tinged orange, and deep yellow on the central lobe of the upper lip, followed by an ellipsoid capsule 10-12mm long.
About the genus
Schizanthus are showly annuals with pinnately dissected leaves and terminal clusters of orchid-like, 2-lipped flowers in a wide range of colours and often with a contrasting eye, from spring to autumn
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH1C
Plant details
Plant typeAnnual Biennial
HabitColumnar upright
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height1-2 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants
Care notes
CultivationIn cool temperate regions, grow outside in summer in containers or in a sheltered sunny border in light, fertile, well-drained soil, or in a conservatory or cool greenhouse (ventilate when temperatures rise above 7-10°C) in a coarsely draining, medium-fertility, peat-free, loam-based mix, in full light with shade from hot sun or in bright filtered light; water sparingly in winter and plentifully when in full growth but without overwatering, and apply a dilute high-potash liquid fertilizer every two weeks; unlike other Schizanthus, S. grahamii is better grown on without pinching out
PruningNo pruning required, but good as cut flowers
PropagationPropagate by seed sown at 13-16°C in mid-spring for plants flowering in summer, or in late summer for plants grown for winter flowering under glass, and pot on regularly so that plants are in their final pots by late autumn
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids but generally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to wilts, leafy gall, powdery mildews, crown, foot and root rots, and virus diseases such as tomato spotted wilt but generally disease-free