SEED OF THE MONTH
CUPID’S DART WILL NEVER
HAVE YOU SINGING THE ‘BLUES’
This month’s seed is an unusual but wonderful flower you might
not know of, but will come to love.
The name Cupid’s Dart comes from the ancient Greeks and Ro-mans,
who used the flowers as the main ingredient in love potions.
That’s certainly a great start.
“Catananche Caerulea Blue” is the formal name of this easy-to-grow
perennial that will bloom the first year from sowing.
It’s a lovely, long-stemmed, stunning blue flower accented by dark
blue eyes. The 2-foot-tall stalks make great, long-lasting cut flowers.
The more you pick, the better the plant will flower. The blooms are
also great for drying.
Cupid’s Dart starts flowering in early summer and will persist into
fall despite drought or heat. To get them started early, use a tech-nique
called surface sowing. It’s easy, as the seeds are just sprinkled
onto a moist planting mix and gently pressed into the mix.
Cover the container with clear plastic in a bright spot until the
seeds sprout. Seedlings should go out in the garden in mid-May.
Site them in full sun, planted in decent soil improved with com-post.
Good drainage is essential for them to come back year after
year.
The plant isn’t one of those perennials that lasts forever, but it will
self-sow where happy. Everyone wants blue in the garden, and that’s
what Cupid’s Dart does best.
Cupid’s Dart is an easy-to-grow, sun-loving perennial
with beautiful blue flowers.
APRIL 2018 • Vo l . 3 , I s s u e 4 | 3