Species introduced to Britain in 1699 by a monk: Brother Cupani. Bicoloured flowers, maroon upper petals with violet ‘wings’, making lovely cut flower posies with a beautiful deep scent.Scent 3. Flowers June-September. Packet contains 20 seeds.
For early flowering sow 3 seeds 13mm deep per 10cm pot in a greenhouse, or indoors at approximately 13-15 celsius. Germinations takes 10-21 days on average. Acclimatise the plants to outside conditions and plant out in April to May with spacing of 12-23cm per plant. Alternatively, sow directly into finely raked, moist, warm, weed free soil where the plants are to flower 13mm deep in late April to May. Thin seedlings to achieve a final spacing of 12-23cm per plant. Remove growing tips after 3-4 pairs of leaves have developed to promote more flowers and a bushier plant. They may also be sown in September to October in a cold frame/unheated greenhouse over winter. Plant out young plants in March to April to provide the earliest blooms.