A Beginner’s Guide to Cultivating Vibrant Crossandra Plants

Crossandra is a vibrant and long-lasting plant that can bloom almost continuously all year round in the right conditions. It comes in bright orange, yellow, salmon, and pink colors and can be grown as a perennial in Zones 10-11, or an annual in other areas. Crossandras can also be used as houseplants, thanks to their glossy, deep green foliage that remains attractive even when they aren’t blooming.

Unlike many other common flowers, crossandra has asymmetrical and relatively one-sided blooms, with all of their reproductive parts hidden in the bloom’s tube. This requires specific pollinators to create seeds. The flowers have five petals and are borne on unique columnar square bloom stalks.

Butterflies love crossandra and can be seen visiting them for their tasty nectar.

Crossandra plants are annual or perennial and grow best in partial sun to full sun. They can tolerate high heat and humidity and thrive in well-draining soil. However, they require supplemental watering during dry weather, especially during summer’s hottest days.

Crossandras should be fertilized every month during summer and every two months or so during winter. Over-fertilizing can damage the plant. Pruning and pinching can also help encourage branching and a fuller, bushier appearance.

Avoid repotting crossandras frequently since they don’t react well to being transplanted. Propagation can be achieved through stem cuttings dipped in root hormone and added to a pot filled with seed starter mix. Keep the pot on a warming mat and mist the soil regularly until new growth emerges.

Crossandra comes in various warm colors, with orange being the most common. For instance, Orange Marmalade Crossandra is a popular type.

Meet Dean Schoeppner, an expert horticulturist specializing in the Crossandra infundibuliformis plant variety. One of his favorite varieties is the ‘Orange Marmalade,’ which boasts stunning orange blooms and is a top performer in gardens suited for Zones 10-11.

To complement the beauty of the Crossandra, Schoeppner recommends pairing it with French Marigold as a companion plant. Together, they create a gorgeous and harmonious display of color and texture in any garden.

Looking for some lovely flowers to add to your garden? Consider French marigolds! These beauties have a distinct frilly appearance and some even have a unique “crested eye” feature. With a height of 8-12 inches and elegant dark green foliage, they grow nicely in well-drained soil and full sun. Plus, they bloom all summer long and may even reseed. Don’t miss out on these lovely flowers! Suitable for zones 2-11.

Another great option for flowering plants are Pentas.

Pentas is a fantastic plant that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds with ease. Its summer blooms are simply stunning, and it can even thrive in hot weather conditions. With its versatility, Pentas can be grown in both containers and the ground, and it can even make for a great houseplant if you have enough light inside your home. The key to maintaining this plant’s optimum health is to place it in areas with full sun exposure and moist, well-drained soil. Although Pentas is typically cultivated annually across the country, it’s able to withstand colder climates in Zones 10-11. If you decide to plant Pentas outdoors, be sure to wait until the last frost has passed before doing so.

Another breathtaking flower to consider is the Zinnia.

Are you looking for an easy way to add some color and beauty to your garden? Look no further than zinnia seeds! With just a few weeks of growth, these seeds will bloom into a stunning variety of shapes and hues. Even better, zinnias are a butterfly magnet, so you can enjoy their colorful fluttering every afternoon. Plant these seeds directly into the ground in a spot that gets plenty of sunlight and has well-drained soil, and watch them take off. These hardy plants can thrive in zones 2-11, making them a great choice for almost any garden.