This colorful annual will put on a show all season long .
This tropical plant , native to southeasterly Asia , is excellent for brightening up a nicety garden . Wishbone flower is a perennial that is normally grown as an annual . It make its name from stamens that form wishing bone chassis . It is also call clown flush because the convention and bright hue of the blooms often resemble clown war paint . Most often found in tone of puritanical , the blossom also occur in pinkish , purple , white , and yellow . The shining green foliage acts as a verdant backdrop for the plant ’s jazzy bloom . This long - crashing , stocky peak puts on a nonstop show of color from spring until Robert Lee Frost .
Where to Plant Wishbone Flower
Wishbone bloom come in both trailing and upright kind . erect plant make small shaggy mounds that do well in the landscape whereas low - growing , trailing diversity cascade beautifully from container , hang baskets , and window boxes . Choose a variety that best fits your needs .
While wishing bone flower grows in the tad , it blooms better when it gets Dominicus for part of the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , preferably in the morning . set it in a location where the soil is slightly acid to neutral and systematically damp ( or be ready to water it regularly ) .
How and When to Plant Wishbone Flower
Plant wishing bone flowers in the spring after the danger of frost has passed . Dig a hole that is at least the size of the greenhouse pot or monotonous and has the same astuteness . Water the plants well in their pots and let them enfeeble before placing them in the hole and backfilling it with the original soil .
Space upright motley 8 to 9 inch apart and trailing varieties 15 inches apart .
Wishbone Flower Care Tips
Light
Often grown as a shade plant life , wishbone flower is tolerant of brighter sun exposures . As long as it is save evenly moist and watered regularly , it can handlefull sunshine . The idealistic growing conditions for this yearbook are in the early break of the day Dominicus and tincture during the afternoon hours . With full shade , the plant tends to flower less and seem less dumb than its sunnier counterpart .
Soil and Water
The soil should be rich andwell - drainedwith a skilful amount of organic matter and a pH that is somewhat acidic to neutral ( 5.6 to 7.0 ) .
wishing bone blossom prefers to be consistently dampish , so do n’t permit it dry out out between watering . Soggy dirt and overwatering , on the other script , can lead to solution rot .
Temperature and Humidity
Wishbone flower can only survive the winter in zone 10 and 11 , that ’s why it is commonly grow as an annual . The plant is neither frost - hardy nor does it care extremely hot weather and humidness ( some varieties are more tolerant of warmth than others ) . The idealistic daytime temperature range is between 70 to 75 degree F.
Fertilizer
Because this annual is such a long and prolific blooper , it demand regular additions of nutrients to maintain a beautiful showing . For in - basis plantings , bestow a grainy slow - release balanced fertiliser about once a month . For wishbone peak in a container , fecundate it with a water - soluble ( liquidness ) fertilizer every workweek or two count on the frequency of tearing .
Pruning
For a bushier maturation wont , pinch off the develop acme of the flowers when they hit about 2 inches in length . Pinching also encourages advantageously branching in trailing miscellany . Deadheading is normally not involve but it can help keep the plants look neat , especially the upright varieties .
Potting and Repotting Wishbone Flower
choose a pot with large drain kettle of fish and fill up it with a combining of pot intermixture and compost or pot soil high in organic matter . A larger pot with several wishbone plants together , or a mixed plantation owner where wishbone bloom is the filler , works much better than modest pots with item-by-item plant . A 10 - in pot fits two to three wishbone flowers .
pot made of solid stuff , such as plastic or metallic element , dry out out less rapidly than porous material such as terra - cotta , which have the advantage of wicking away moisture so there is less risk of root bunkum in the typeface of overwatering .
Potted wishing bone flowers take more frequent tearing and fertilization than inground plants .
Credit: Justin Hancock
Because the life history cycle of wishing bone flower is only one season , it does not require repotting .
Pests and Problems
Wishbone flower is fairly resistant to serious pests and diseases . In hot , humid weather , it may get infested by whitefly .
How to Propagate Wishbone Flower
Wishbone flowers can be bulge from seed . In cool climates , start them six to eight calendar week before the last average frost date to get a headspring start on the develop time of year . pop out the seeds in biodegradable pots that you could plant with the seedlings because wishbone bloom does not transplant well . occupy the pots with sterile potting intermixture and urine it thoroughly until dampish , then place the seed on the Earth’s surface and gently iron them down . Do not cover the cum ; they demand lighting to germinate . Keep them moist at around 70 degrees F. The seed will germinate in two to three week . Harden off the seedling before transplanting them outdoors .
Types of Wishbone Flower
‘Catalina Gilded Grape’ Wishbone Flower
Torenia’Catalina Gilded Grape ' is a mounding hybrid featuring brightyellow flowerswith regal pharynx . It originate 16 inches tall and trail 24 inches .
‘Catalina White Linen’ Wishbone Flower
Torenia’Catalina White Linen ' shows off lovely arrant - white flowers on a thickset , mound / trailing works . This hybrid uprise 16 inches tall and 24 inches across .
‘Clown Mix’ Wishbone Flower
The Clown Series ofTorenia fournierioffers a mixture of colors , including down with purple edges , on compact , 1 - foot - grandiloquent plants . It is especially suited for areas with extremely live summers .
‘Kauai Rose’ Wishbone Flower
Torenia fournieri’Kauai Rose ' is a uniform , upright , extremely heat- andhumidity - tolerant plant with bright pink blooms . The varieties in the Kauai series are more compact and well - ramate than the Clown serial .
Purple Moon Torenia
Torenia’Purple Moon ' is a loan-blend with a mounding or drag habit and endearing lavender - purplish efflorescence over glossy green foliage . It grows 6 inches tall and 16 inches wide .
Yellow Moon Torenia
Torenia’Yellow Moon ' has a mounding / hang back habit and cushy yellow blossom with a violet pharynx . It grows 10 inches marvelous and 16 inch wide .
Summer Wave ‘Large Amethyst’ Torenia
ToreniaSummer Wave ' Large Amethyst ' is a vigorous tracking hybrid boast with child blooms of lovely amethyst purpleness .
Summer Wave ‘Large Blue’ Torenia
ToreniaSummer Wave ' Large Blue ' is a hybrid with fantabulous heat- and humidity tolerance . The plant has a shack riding habit and big mystifying blue flowers .
Wishbone Flower Companion Plants
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet alyssum , with its delicacy , fragrant flowers , is often used in containers and hanging baskets to disgorge over the edges , creating a piano , frothy look . It ’s also a great edging plant because of its tidy , compact habit . Regardless of how you use it , sweet-smelling genus Alyssum does good in spring ’s and fall ’s coolheaded conditions ( or use it for winter color in very affectionate climates ) . In nerveless - summer precondition , such as the northern third of the United States , odoriferous madwort will bloom steadily through the summertime . It halt bloom in summertime in warm areas .
Begonia
Talk about foolproof : yearly begoniais about as well-heeled as it gets . It does well in a salmagundi of conditions , but to keep it at its best , give it light-headed shade , full-bodied , well - drained soil , and ample water . It also have it off plenty of plant food , so be generous . works yearly begonias in spring after all danger of freeze has passed . No need to deadhead this flower unless you desire to , it ’s " self - cleaning . "
Impatiens
What would we do without impatiens ? It’sthe one-time reliable for shade gardenswhen you want eye - bolt down color all time of year long . The plant bloom in just about every colour except true blue and are well suited to develop in container or in the ground . If you have a bright spot indoors , you may be able to grow impatiens all yr as an indoor plant .
Frequently Asked Questions
you could , but when you propagate wishbone blossom from those seeds , it is unlikely you will get plants with the same traits because most wishbone flowers are cultivars and hybrids . Starting with fresh seeds purchased from a seed company will give you more predictable results .
The discoloration of the foliage is usually a sign that it ’s too cold for the plant . If you transplanted it too early on , daytime temperature might be fine but nighttime temperatures may put down below the allowance of the plant life . Cover the works at dark until the weather gets warmer .
update by Nadia Hassani
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
