SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Seed To Bloom:
12-14 weeks
Starting Indoors:
Start in containers 6-8 weeks before last spring frost. Keep at about 55-65°F.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow at last frost date.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
In springtime, after all danger of frost has passed.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Apple of Peru is celebrated for its swift growth during the summer heat, culminating in a statuesque form with substantial branches studded with white-throated lavender-blue flowers. These exquisite blossoms unfurl around midmorning and gracefully close by midafternoon. As autumn draws near, Nicandra produces decorative inflated seedpods, perfect for harvesting and adding to floral arrangements, whether fresh or dried. These plants excel as hedges or as striking specimens positioned at the rear border of informal cottage gardens. It is also part of Chinese herbal pharmacology. Self-sows abundantly—we recommend cutting before seed capsules degrade in late fall.
Watering Details:
Keep moist but avoid saturated soils. Do not allow soil to dry out between waterings.
Soil pH:
Not particular about soil pH.
Fertilizer:
Mix in several inches of compost into poorer soils before planting.
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Useful for decorative lanterns on long arching stems
