Growing Jester Mix Cineraria Garden Seeds
- Taxonomy: Pericallis x hybrida
- Other Names: Florist's Cineraria, Common Ragwort
- Seed Type: Annual (Perennial zones 9 – 11)
- Sow Indoors or Outdoors: Jester Mix cineraria seeds are popularly sown directly outside just after the frost but, for earliest and hardiest blooms, start indoors 6 – 8 weeks prior to the frost. Seeds will germinate in 14 – 21 days with full lighting. If transplanting outside, harden off seedlings to a well-shaded place in the garden. Cineraria can be grown perennially indoors.
- Days to Maturity: 112 – 154 days
- Hardiness Zone: 4 – 11
- Planting Depth: Lightly press 3 – 4 seeds into soil without covering
- Plant Spacing: 12"
- Growth Habit: 8 – 12" tall dwarfed mound with an 8 – 12” spread of 2" daisy-like blooms
- Soil Preference: Hummus-rich, cool, moist, well-drained
- Light Preference: Partial shade
- Diseases/Pests/Troubleshooting: Jester Mix cineraria seeds thrive in cool, shady, and temperate summers and will decline in summer if exposed to long hours of direct heat. Cineraria watering can be tricky; do not overwater because plants are susceptible to powdery mildew, gray mold, crown rot, and rust, but do not underwater because it will cause a sharp decline of blooms. Cineraria is known to be susceptible to aphids, mites, whiteflies, and thrips.
- Color: Mix of bicolored blooms of blue, carmine, magenta, purple, copper, and pink
Jester Mix cineraria seeds are popularly sown directly outside just after the frost but, for earliest and hardiest blooms, start indoors 6 – 8 weeks prior to the frost. Seeds will germinate in 14 – 21 days with full lighting. If transplanting outside, harden off seedlings to a well-shaded place in the garden. Cineraria can be grown perennially indoors. Lightly press 3 – 4 Jester Mix cineraria seeds 12" apart in hummus-rich, cool, moist, and well-drained soil in partial sun. Jester Mix cineraria seeds thrive in cool, shady, and temperate summers and will decline in summer if exposed to long hours of direct heat. Cineraria watering can be tricky; do not overwater because plants are susceptible to powdery mildew, gray mold, crown rot, and rust, but do not underwater because it will cause a sharp decline of blooms. Cineraria is known to be susceptible to aphids, mites, whiteflies, and thrips. Jester Mix cineraria seeds mature in 112 – 154 days as 8 – 12" tall dwarfed mounds with an 8 – 12” spread of 2" daisy-like blooms in a mix of blue, carmine, magenta, purple, copper, and pink.
Pericallis x hybrida, or simply known as Cineraria, is a hybrid between Pericallis cruenta and Pericallis lanata, both natives of Spain's Canary Islands. Cineraria was first hybridized in the British Royal Gardens in 1777 and has since become an international favorite, especially from Christmas through Easter. Pericallis x hybrida earns the common name Cineraria because the plant once belonged to the Cineraria genus, but has since been reclassified to the genus Pericallis.