Lopezia cordata Pretty Rose - seeds

Lopezia cordata Pretty Rose is a little-known annual plant that deserves to be discovered for its endless summer flowering of delicate pink flowers and its ease of cultivation. With its low and bushy growth, it fills containers and hanging baskets in a single season and adds charm to borders in front of larger perennials. Give it sun and a good, moist, and light soil. The seeds can be sown directly from March to May and germinate easily.

Lopezia cordata is a relatively unknown annual plant belonging to the Onagraceae family, just like fuchsias and evening primroses. It is difficult to know the precise origins of this species, which seems to have been recently introduced to our gardens from somewhere in Mexico. 'Pretty Rose' is a more compact selection than the typical variety, with flowers of a brighter pink.

A simple direct sowing will result in well-branched plants, reaching about 25 cm (10in) high and 20 cm (8in) wide in a single season. Each plant develops into a small clump of leafy stems and flowers continuously from June to October. At the axils of the leaves and the tips of the stems, unique, 2 cm (1in) wide flowers bloom, composed of 5 narrow petals, two of which are longer and end in a spatulate shape. The axillary flowers are solitary or grouped in pairs, while the terminal flowers are clustered. The flowers are followed by fruits containing numerous seeds that easily self-sow in light soil. The dense foliage consists of elongated heart-shaped leaves with slightly toothed edges, 4 to 8 cm (2 to 3in) long and dark green.

Lopezia cordata can be used in the same way as Million bells, in hanging baskets and flower pots. It is also a good plant to include in floral arrangements, along with nemophila or Lobelia erinus, for example. It can be sown in borders or romantic perennial beds. By combining it with perennial geraniums and asters, you can create combinations that bloom throughout summer.