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Maltese Cross
Maltese Cross
Seed Packet

Maltese Cross

Lychnis chalcedonica
This gorgeous survivor has acquired many names, such as London Pride, Scarlet Mountain Lychnis, and Jerusalem Cross, over its 400+ years in cultivation. An early broadsheet of seeds in America lists it in 1803, and it was planted in Jefferson's garden at Monticello soon after. The flame-colored flowers look great with blue canterbury bells and sundrops in the early summer garden and are deer and rabbit resistant too!
SKU #S078
$3.25
Plant
Maltese Cross
$8.95
Maltese Cross
Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
400
Lifecycle
Perennial
Perennial Hardiness Zone
4,
5,
6,
7,
8
Mature Size
3' h x 1-1.5' w
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Regular, well-drained
Season
Spring to summer
Color
Scarlet
Features
Great Cut Flower
Deer Resistant
Heat or Drought Tolerant
Attracts Butterflies
Notable
RHS Award of Garden Merit Winner
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface sow and press in lightly; requires light to germinate.
Sprout Time:
7-21 days
Starting Indoors:
Sow 6–8 weeks before last frost and cover with humidity dome to retain moisture until germination occurs. Keep at 65-70°F.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow mid-spring to early summer. May bloom the first year if sown indoors.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
After last spring frost.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Heirloom Maltese cross has been in cultivation for centuries, acquiring names bestowed by gardeners that appreciated its brilliance and long life–Jerusalem Cross, Scarlet Lightning, Nonesuch, and more. In England, double forms were celebrated as a "glorious flower being as rare as it is beautiful" as early as 1629. This trouble-free hardy perennial has brilliant scarlet clustered blooms that appear reliably every summer, its long bloom time lending vibrance to informal meadow gardens and mixed borders. Deer and rabbits avoid it, and it is an excellent cut flower as well. Deadhead for extended bloom.
Final Spacing:
2'
Water Requirements:
Medium Water Use
Watering Details:
Somewhat drought tolerant once established. 1" of water per week initially, then water during dry spells.
Soil pH:
Mildly acidic to neutral
Fertilizer:
Mix about 2" of compost into the soil at time of planting, and top-dress every spring with about 1".
Diseases & Pests:
Mostly pest and disease free
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Cut when florets are 3/4 to fully open.