Cerinthe glabra
SMOOTH HONEYWORT
$5.00 AUD
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Cerinthe glabra
SMOOTH HONEYWORT
Cerinthe glabra is unbeatable for attracting bees and other pollinating friends into the veggie patch and the flower garden. Plus smaller honey-eating native birds will turn somersaults to sip from the dainty dangling bells.
Your bees will thank you
So pretty Cerinthe glabra provides a constant supply of nectar, blooming from mid spring right through summer to the first frost.
Thus it is named Honeywort for very good reason.
Constant profusion of flowers
There is a constant profusion of nodding yellow bells, with each petal banded purple at the base.
And all bobbing around above attractive, waxy foliage sheened with green-blue.
Keep in a pot or a corner of the veg patch
Cerinthe glabra is very easily cultivated in well drained soil.
So it is perfect for featuring in a tub at the corner of the veggie patch, or tuck it into the back of a flower bed. And your vegetable and fruit set will be greatly enhanced.
Water-wise, quick & easy from seed
Water-wise, quick and easy to raise from seed, and no trouble to have,
with Cerinthe glabra able to cope with either humidity or heat and dry.
So it remains as an evergreen perennial in subtropical areas, or frost free gardens.
However it will act as an annual in frosty regions – but fear not – it reliably self sows easily from one year to the next.
Cerinthe glabra revels in heat & dry
Honeywort revels in sun. Because as a native of Greece and Italy, it takes summer heat, and some periods of dry in its stride.
And it is best grown a little lean and mean to produce the most flowers and dazzling coloured foliage. Because too much rich soil, fertilizer, and water will make growth at the expense of flowers and that amazing colour.
Not fussy & suits coastal gardens
Cerinthe glabra is actually happier in some shade, under taller plants or a shady corner.
And it is happy in any well drained soil, including sandy soils and average garden soil.
Also suitable for seaside gardens, as the waxy texture resists salt.
However it will not tolerate being waterlogged or boggy.
Water-wise
A water-wise choice. So normal average garden watering is bliss for a Cerinthe glabra.
And it bounces away in either acid or alkaline lime soils, and really appreciates a dressing of lime when you do the roses.
Making a jaunty grower that is generally pest and disease free.
45cm H x 60cm W.
SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suitable for beginners & kids
Cerinthe glabra seeds can be sown indoors at any time / or scattered directly in the garden in late winter – early spring.
INDOORS: Sow seeds in a punnet of good quality seed raising mix.
Now cover the seeds with approx 5mm of mix / grit / washed sand.
And water the sown punnet well.
Then place in a warm position, or on a heat heat mat if you have one. However a warm, well lit corner or window sill is fine (not in direct sun). These seeds are easy to germinate.
Continue to keep moist in a well-lit, warm position.
Where temperatures of 15-20°C are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.
Germination takes 14-28 days approx.
SCATTER DIRECTLY IN THE GARDEN: In August / September the seed can also be sown directly where it is to flower.
SEED COUNT: 5 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).
GROWING: Cerinthe glabra
– Height with flowers: 45cm. approx.
– Width: Arching 60cm.
– Position: Full Sun or Partial Shade.
– Soil: Not fussy.
Other benefits
– Frost: Hardy in even severe frosts. Although the parent plant dies away in the frost, the seedling babies grow during the winter ready to put on their colourful show as the season warms.
– Growth: A very reliable self seeding annual in frosty areas. So the crop of babies will pop up around the parent. Or a perennial in frost free gardens.
– Bees & birds: Bees, butterflies and small honey-eating birds are besotted by the dangling bells and their abundant nectar.
Easy low care
– Care: Very easy and low maintenance. So you can weed out the spent plants after they have dropped their seed and that is about it!
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: Sadly Cerinthe is not immune to nibbles, but they will always start from seed again if they do happen to get eaten.
– Origin: Native to southern Italy and Greece, where it grows in open areas, including rocky outcrops.
– Myths & Legends: The name Cerinthe comes from the Greek word “keros” for wax and “anthos” for flower, because traditional village beekeepers thought their bees got the wax for their hives from the wax-like flowers.
