Amberboa muricata Seeds - Sweet Sultan

Amberboa muricata or Sweet Sultan is a rare gem from the dry regions of southern Morocco. This annual plant bears large, delicate, cornflower-like blooms with lilac petals around a pale pink centre. They are borne on strong yet slender, well-branched stems. Loved by butterflies and pollinating insects, they bring meadows, cottage gardens and bouquets to life from June to September. To be grown in full sun, in very well-drained soil.

Amberboa or Volutaria muricata, commonly known as Sweet Sultan, is a hardy herbaceous annual that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is native to the desert regions of Morocco where it flowers in early spring, before the long summer drought sets in. The plant forms tall, 80-90 cm stems that emerge from a rosette of deeply lobed basal leaves. They are partially leafy with small, whole to lobed lanceolate leaves with glandular hairs. In colder climates the flowering period is usually later, from July to October or the first frosts. The inflorescences are usually solitary flower heads, carried by pubescent peduncles. They are very similar to those of cornflowers or thistles and measure over 4 cm in diameter. The purplish-blue to lilac ligulate flowers have a pale pink centre. They are fragrant and attract nectar-feeding, honey-making insects. The flowers are resistant to wind and unfavourable weather conditions. They are also very good cut flowers.

Sweet Sultan is a frugal, very robust and undemanding plant. It is perfect in natural flower meadows, informal flowerbeds or left to grow wild on slopes or corners of the garden where it will not require any special care. It is one of those plants that likes to grow alone, such as Love-in-a-mist, Cosmos, perennial flax, California poppies, lacy phacelia, sainfoin, cornflowers and many others. It is ideal to rapidly embellish a brand new garden or to hide unsightly areas that have suffered from harsh winter frosts. In wild, informal flower beds it will combine well with ornamental grasses such as Stipa tenuifolia or Mulhenbergia capillaris, or with flowering annuals such as pink Love-in-a-mist, California poppies and purple knapweed. It is also an excellent cut flower.