Godetia also goes by the names Farewell-To-Spring and Clarkia. Clarkia produce cup-shaped blossoms in clusters at the tips of strong stems. Flowers are white, pink, red, or lilac with contrasting colors in most. There are also double varieties. Foliage is gray-green.
Characteristics of Clarkia
- 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.
- Clarkia, also known as farewell-to-spring, is a pretty heirloom flower that is easily grown in flower beds or containers.
- Clarkias are excellent for the annual border and for hanging baskets.
Growing Conditions for Clarkia
- 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.
- It needs light to germinate so scatter the seeds, then cover very lightly.
- Clarkia has a thinner stem, so taller varieties will need to be staked.
- Start sowing about 2 weeks before the last frost.
- Propagate by seed. Because they do not transplant well, sow seeds directly in the soil outdoors. Barely cover; they need light to germinate.
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.
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