The Vexier carnation or crown carnation is a two-year-old perennial that usually only blooms in its second year. It has beautiful, silvery-gray leaves that are up to ten centimeters long and, like the stem, are woolly and hairy. In July and August, the multi-branched clusters develop into flowers about three centimeters wide, usually pale purple to purple. Propagation occurs through seeds that are sown immediately after the seeds have ripened or in spring.
How do you sow the Vexier carnation?
The Vexier carnation should be sown in late summer or spring. Sow seeds in a sunny, dry, humus-rich location and cover lightly with a soil-sand mixture. Keep the substrate slightly moist until they germinate. The plant blooms in its second year.
The right time for sowing
The right time to sow seeds you have collected yourself is late summer or early autumn. You can tell when the seeds are ripe because you can simply pour the black seeds, which are very similar to poppy seeds, from the seed capsule into a container - the cup-like capsule has a circular hole at the top. Alternatively, sowing in spring is also possible - for example with purchased seeds.
Flowers only in the second year
But whether you plant the seeds in spring or in autumn, the clove will still only bloom in its second year. In the first year only a rosette of leaves develops, although this also looks very distinctive due to its silver-gray color. The perennial looks particularly beautiful together with blue-violet flowering and other gray-leaved perennials such as saintwort (Santolina) or felty hornwort (Cerastium tomentosum). You need about four plants per square meter.
Sowing Vexier cloves
As with all carnation plants, sowing the Vexier carnation is very easy:
- Dig a bed thoroughly at the intended location.
- The location should be in full sun; the soil is rather dry, but permeable and humus.
- Include some compost and/or a handful of horn shavings.
- Rake the area smooth and break up any larger chunks of soil.
- Grow the seeds and cover them only lightly with a fine soil-sand mixture.
- Keep the substrate slightly moist.
Basically, you can save yourself these steps because the plant also readily sows itself. Sowing in the pot is done in the same way as described.
Winter carnations outside
Vexier carnations are considered frost hardy and can therefore overwinter outside without special protection. But be careful: the otherwise easy-care plant absolutely cannot tolerate winter wetness.
Tip
There are also puzzle carnations with flowers of different colors. The variety “Alba”, for example, has white flowers, while “Blushing Bride” has white flowers with a pink eye.
