Certain species are considered weeds in some places.
Several species, particularlyG.
haageana, are popular annuals in cooler growing zones adorning gardens with vibrant color from June until frost.
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These are low-maintenance plants with papery, clover-like blooms of many colors that retain their vibrancy when dried.
Additionally, you’ll find a greater variety of seeds in different colors as opposed to nursery-grown transplants.
InUSDA hardiness zones9 to 11, wait until soil temperature reaches 70F before sowing seed.
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Transplants can be set out when temperatures reach 65F.
Gomphrena is not fussy about soil bang out if it drains well.
Plant seedlings 12 to 18 inches apart.
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For direct sowing seed, sow them about 1/8 of an inch deep.
Leave seeds uncovered or only slightly coveredthey are light-dependent for germination.
Pinch back first buds to encourage the plant to branch out for a fuller appearance.
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The only requirement is for the soil to be well draining.
They also tolerate a range ofsoil pHfrom slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.
Water
Once established, plants are drought-tolerant.
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They will look better if kept hydrated, though, during hot dry spells.
Avoid wetting the foliage, and water at ground level when the top inch of soil feels dry.
Temperature and Humidity
Gomphrena grows best in 65 to 75F.
They do not tolerate frost.
They prefer a drier climate because high humidity can lead to issues likepowdery mildew.
Working compost into the planting area or a layer oforganic mulchprovides sufficient nutrients to feed these easy-care flowers.
When grown in containers, use potting soil that includes time-released nutrients.
Types of Gomphrena
All species ofGomphrenaare highly attractive to pollinators including bees and butterflies.
How to Propagate Gomphrena
Gomphrena is easily propagated from cuttings.
Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks prior to the final frost.
You will need seeds, pots or a seed starting or cell tray, and potting mix.
Potting Gomphrena
Gomphrena is usually grown in flowerbeds but some cultivars can adapt to containers.
Due to their branching and mounding habit, plants need large containers with plenty of drainage holes.
You will need to water more frequently and fertilize to encourage the best blooms.
Use potting soil that includes a slow-release fertilizer.
Overwintering
In USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11, gomphrena will grow as a short-lived tender perennial.
Cut plants back to ground level at the end of the bloom season.
This plant does not overwinter well when kept indoors in pots.
A strong spray of water from a hose or a mildinsecticidal soaphelps control large populations.
Gomphrena is also a heat-loving plant that can develop fungal infections in cool, damp weather.
Treat problems of powdery mildew, leaf spot, and gray mold with a fungicide.
Bloom Months
Most garden grown varieties bloom from June until frost.
How Long Does Gomphrena Bloom?
What Do Gomphrena Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The flowers have no fragrance but do produce nectar to attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
How to Encourage More Blooms
Encourage a greater number of blooms by pinching out the earliest buds.
This causes the plant to branch giving it a bushier, mounding appearance with more flowers.
Deadheading Gomphrena Flowers
It’s not necessary to deadhead gomphrena.
Plants might reseed but not to a great extent.
Gomphrena are short-lived tender perennials only in the tropical and sub-tropical regions where they grow naturally.
In cooler growing zones, gomphrena is grown as a garden annual.
It’s not necessary to deadhead gomphrena.
It may self-seed and some species such asG.
serratacan become a troublesome weed in southern climates.