Did you think that the lantern flower with its delicate lantern flowers is hardy? In fact, you can leave the picturesque perennial outside in the winter. Simple protective measures are sufficient. You can find out how to successfully overwinter lantern flowers in beds and pots here.
How can you overwinter lantern flowers successfully?
Overwinter lantern flowers in the bed by cutting them back in late winter, protecting the root disc from frost and watering if necessary. Lantern flowers can be overwintered in pots in a frost-free room or outside with winter protection, watering sparingly and not fertilizing.
Overwintering the lantern flower in the bed
The lantern flower is a deciduous perennial from the genus of bladder cherry (Physalis). In winter, leaves, flowers and stems slowly die off. The rhizomes in the ground, however, are hardy and will sprout again next spring. On the way there, fading lanterns on dried stems create decorative accents in the empty garden and at the same time protect the roots from bitter frost. This is how you properly overwinter a lantern flower in the bed:
- Pruning in late winter: Do not cut the perennial until February/March
- Winter protection: Cover the root disc with leaves and brushwood before the onset of winter
- Winter location outside: protected from wind and rain in a corner or in front of a wall
- Watering: Water the lantern flower in winter when it is dry on frost-free days
- Do not fertilize: do not give fertilizer from September to March
If you don't value the distinctive winter aspect, cut back dead lantern flowers in the bed in November.
Overwintering the lantern flower in the pot
Lantern flowers are unpopular in beds because the perennials tend to overgrow. Hobby gardeners put a stop to their invasive ambitions and plant lantern flowers in pots. If winter knocks on the garden gate, you have these two options for overwintering a lantern flower in a pot:
- Putting away: Flowers in pots overwinter in a frost-free room, such as a cellar, garage or garden shed
- Winter protection: Place the pot on wood, wrap it thickly in fleece (€7.00 on Amazon), cover the substrate with straw, bark mulch or leaves
- Winter care: water very sparingly, do not fertilize from the end of September to the end of March
If you overwinter lantern flowers indoors, cut the dead shoots back to ground level before putting them away. If you decide on a winter spot in the open air, ideally postpone pruning until late winter.
Tip
The bright orange lantern flowers add the finishing touch to dry bouquets. Hang a freshly picked bouquet upside down in a dark, airy place to dry. Spraying with hairspray improves the durability of the filigree lanterns for creative decoration ideas in the autumn-decorated home.
