I winter sowed some this year and have about 5 large sprouts up. I'll have to wait and see if they survive. I'm in Texas but we're having a much colder than normal winter. We had some snow this morning and expecting more next week.

I just love Cerinthe. The first year I had it I asked the
Future Farmers at our township high school to sow it. They did along with their usual petunias, screaming red salvia, marigolds, alyssum, pansies etc and veggies. They
sold it back to me--6 plants at $1.50 per. I enjoyed it so much in my dry garden. Then I heard of WS, planted containers from my own seed in Jan. and got NOTHING. But
lo, in the spring,two Cerinthe came up--one in my fenced
raised bed veggie garden, and one on my wild and wooly hill
side both at least 50 yards from point of origin. I transplanted, they died! About the first of August lots of
Cerinthe came up, right where the plants had been the previous year. They had glorious foliage, so beautiful with salvias Carradonna and Purple Rain and various yarrows and other things. Unfortunately, bloom did not come until about two weeks before frost and seeds did not
develop even though I spread Remay across plants for many
nights.

Fortunately my daughter in Oregon has seeds from the plants
I took out to her. I'll plant them mid-March. She gets too much reseeding.

Cerinthe is still rarely planted around here in Eastern Indiana.

Chris

Cerinthe is great for winter sowing but might pop up a little later than other plants - depends on the growing conditions that year.

If you are in the zone 6 part of Ohio, it will self sow well for you. And in a mild temperature winter like this one it can even continue to sprout fresh basal growth through the winter - especially if last year's dead plant tops are still there to give it a little shelter.

I've got ones that are still alive from last year - whenever the snow melts I can see little bits of fresh growth on them.

Lynda

I've never had it before, so don't know how it will do here in Texas. I got the seeds in a trade and they just say shrimp plant. I W/S part of them and kept part in case the W/S didn't work. I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

I just bought a package of these at Home Depot yesterday. It doesn't feel like there are many seeds in the package, so maybe I'll WS half. I've never seen them growing.

I had to look that up. Attractive plant. Guess I don't have to have it but would like to try some sometime. Nice blue/purple shades and saw a yellow one.

Thanks everyone for all your experiences! I have never grown this one but I love the way it looks from images I have seen. Sounds fairly hardy from the way you all describe. I'll stick to my mid March plan on WS and hope for the best! I do have to say, Lynda, I am in Cincinnati, and when you said "mild temperate winter" I laughed out loud, because I think this winter has been the worst! ;) I feel like I live in Detroit . .

I'm in Columbus and feel like I have been living in the north pole. More snow tonight. Arugh.

Cerinthe is a nice annual here. It's very interesting looking, the seeds are cool, and it's fun to watch the bees climb into the blooms to do their thing. I would spring sow it.

Did some last year for the first time - LOVED the foliage - but the flowers were rather non-descript. Still, I am hoping for reseeds since I did not collect any from my plants.

Go for it!

Carrie

I WS it about every other year, does fine for WS, but the plant doesn't like heat, so I place mine in part shade, situated especially so they don't get direct overhead sun at midday. Also, they do well with a ground mulch and light feedings.

Weebay - the snow this year has been a pain, but temps are a lot warmer than last year. We really notice that since we have livestock. Even though February skipped it's usual thaw this year (which will make the monthly average look lower than normal) from November to now the temperatures are far more mild this year than last.

Now the snow - yep, we have way more than we need this year! But between the snow cover and the gentle temperatures this winter you would not believe how many of my garden plants kept growing through the entire winter. In January I counted over 65 species in my flower garden that were actively growing. Should make for a pretty spring - if it ever gets here.

Lynda

I ws'd this one last year. the leaves were really kewl in the fall, when they got chilled they turned pretty colors.

The bees did love it too!

I WSed this last year with great success. I'm not sure it'll survive our winter but it seeded like mad, so I hope a few volunteers pop up.

This is now one of my favorite garden plants!!