Dear Master Gardener : I went to a plant sale and bought a four-pack of a plant called Salpiglossis. It wasn’t blooming so I don’t know what color it will be and I’ve never heard of it. I put it in among other flowers in a container on my deck and can’t wait to see what my four mystery flowers look like! What can you tell me about this plant? Answer : Salpiglossis, also known as painted tongue, is a fast-growing annual native to Mexico and South America.
It performs best in full to part sun. Salpiglossis can be grown in containers or flower beds and will produce showy, colorful flowers from now until about mid-July. They love cool weather, so when temperatures drop in the fall, you should get another burst of late-season color.
Your five-lobed mystery flowers come in various shades of red, orange, yellow, bronze, or purple and are typically 1-2 inches in diameter. Some have veins in a contrasting color or are marbled. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous bloom and pinch back if you want bushier more compact plants.
Salpiglossis make beautiful cut flowers that last several days in a vase. Dear Master Gardener : I purchased a cute, miniature rose bush at the grocery store, but it doesn’t have instructions on how to care for it. Can you actually plant it in the garden or is it a houseplant? Answer : Miniature roses are tiny replicas of tea roses but are surprisingly hardier.
Most are hardy to zone 5, but there are a few that claim to be hardy to zone 4. Many .
