Guide to growing garden plants - Clarkia (Farewell to spring)
Clarkia are bushy hardy annuals of 30cm to 1.2M in height. They flower from summer until the beginning of autumn.
They have rosette flowers of pink or white.
Some common names for Clarkia include farewell to spring, Rocky mountain garland, Satin flower and Godeitia.
Clarkia rubicunda by Anniesannuals; Creative commons.
Clarkia by Tom Hilton; Creative commons.
Quick Clarkia Growing Guide and Facts
Common Names: Mountain Garland, Farewell to spring, Redspot Clarkia, Godetia. Clarkia: Purple; Pismo; Winecup; Botts's; Northern; Deerhorn; Sierra.
Life Cycle: Hardy annual.
Height: 24 to 60 inches (50 to 150cm).
Native: Americas.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 10.
Flowers: Summer and early autumn.
Flower Details: Pink, red, purple, violet, white. Four petals. Small.
Foliage: Herbaceous. Simple leaves. Small. Evergreen.
Sow Outside: Surface. Sow every two weeks from the last frost through to summer. Spacing 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm).
Sow Inside: Peat pots. Best started outside. Start eight weeks in advance. Germination time four days to three weeks in the light. Temperature 55 to 70°F (13 to 21°C). Transplant outdoors following the last frost.
Requirements: Full sunlight or partial shade. Soil pH 6 to 8.5. Moist soils. Light spring feed (low nitrogen). Regular watering. Stake larger plants.
Miscellaneous: Many species of the Clarkia genus used to be classified in the genus Godetia.
How to grow Farewell to spring - Clarkia
It is perhaps best to sow seeds of Clarkia outdoors. they should be sown into a partly shaded or sunny part of the garden on the soil. Sowing of farewell to spring and other Clarkia genus plants should start after the last frost of spring and continue every two weeks; this will allow for a prolonged flowering season. The ideal soil for growing Clarkia should be moist and cool, with a pH of 6 to 7.
Caring for Clarkia in the garden
Clarkia should be watered regularly so as to keep the soil moist; they may require fertilizer in the spring, this should be low in nitrogen as Clarkia prefers low nitrogen soils.