Guide to growing Jupiter's beard - Centranthus
Centranthus genus plants are shrubby hardy perennials that reach between 70 and 90cm in height.
The common names for Centranthus plants include Jupiter's beard, Petty Betsy, Valerian and Keys of heaven.
They flower from the late spring with white or pink flowers
Their size makes them ideal for rockeries or to fill the gaps in walls.
How to grow Jupiter's beard - Centranthus
Centranthus should be sowed outdoors in the early spring before the last frost, seeds should be lightly covered. They should ideally be grown in sunny parts of the garden in limy soils which have good drainage. If you first plan to grow seedlings of Jupiter's beard and other Centranthus species indoors then you should start the process about eight weeks before you plan to transplant them into the garden after the last frost of spring. They require about three or four weeks to germinate at a temperature of about 18 degrees celsius. When planting the seedlings out they should be spaced at about 30 to 45 cm apart.
Caring for Centranthus plants in the garden
Centranthus plants should be lightly fertilised in the spring; once the first flowers have finished blooming then cutting them off will often result in a second bloom. At the end of the autumn the plants inflorescence stems should be cut back to the ground.