Nemesia Grow Guide: How to Grow and Care for Nemesia

Nemesia, also known by the botanical name Scrophulariaceae, is an annual or perennial flower popularly used as a bedding plant or ground cover. Nemesia plants come in many varieties with many different colors of flowers that are similar in appearance to orchids, and are often grown as companion plants alongside lobelias, pansies, or snapdragons. Nemesia plants are native to South Africa and are often found on coastal regions in sandy areas.

There are many cultivars of nemesia that come in a wide range of colors and sizes. You can grow your nemesia in an area with lots of space like in a rock garden or as ground cover in your home landscape or garden.Here are some of the most popular varieties of nemesia.

1. 1. Nemesia strumosa: N. strumosa is an annual plant that blooms bluish or white flower.
2. 2. Nemesia caerulea: N. caerulea is a tender perennial nemesia plant with flowers that can bloom in purple, white, blue, or pink colors.
3. 3. Nemesia 'Aromatica True Blue': This tall variety of nemesia flower can grow to fourteen inches high and has fragrant bluish-purple flowers.
4. 4. Nemesia 'Lemon Mist': This nemesia plant blooms in the spring and fall with purplish-white flowers with splotches of yellow.

Nemesia flower plants can generally grow in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 10 and grow best in cooler climates. In some warmer climates, they will grow as winter annuals as long as there isn’t any frost. You can grow nemesia flowers from seeds by germinating them indoors and then transplanting them when temperatures begin to rise in spring. Here is a guide of how to grow nemesia from seed.

1. 1. Prepare a seed tray. About eight weeks before the last frost of winter, start germinating your nemesia seeds indoors. Prepare a seed tray with a seed-starting mixture with some organic matter and vermiculite. Pre-water the soil so that it is damp, but make sure that there are holes at the bottom of your tray to ensure that the soil is well-draining.
2. 2. Sow the nemesia seeds. You can purchase nemesia seeds at most garden centers. Place two to three seeds on the surface of the soil in the seed tray and very gently press them down into the soil.
3. 3. Care for your seeds until they germinate. Keep your seed tray in a warm location in your house where they will get only a few hours of sunlight a day or some indirect sunlight. Mist your seeds if the soil feels dry and cover them with plastic wrap to trap in humidity. Your seeds should germinate within just a few weeks.
4. 4. Transplant your nemesia plants. You can transplant your nemesia plants into your garden as soon as temperatures rise in spring and the threat of frost has reliably passed. Choose a spot that receives plenty of sunlight and has well-draining soil. Water your transplanted seedling right after you plant it. You can also add a layer of mulch over your nemesia to help insulate the plant and help it retain moisture.

Nemesia generally doesn’t need too much attention once they are established, although it can be helpful to check on them to make sure they have the right conditions for healthy growth.

1. 1. Provide adequate sunlight. Nemesia plants will grow best in full sun, although they will tolerate a few hours of part shade or partial shade.
2. 2. Water to keep the soil moist. Take extra care to not overwater your nemesia, which can lead to stem rot. Try to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
3. 3. Use a slow-release fertilizer. You can apply a slow-release fertilizer to your plant in the spring to promote growth during the growing season.
4. 4. Prune to control growth and disease. Prune any wilted, damaged, or diseased flowers off of your plant to help encourage new flowers to bloom. Wait until the plant is in full bloom before you start to cut it back.
5. 5. Propagate using seeds or cuttings. Propagating nemesia is fairly simple, and you can do so with seeds or by taking cuttings. Nemesia will spread on its own in your garden if you let it set seeds.

Grow your own garden with Ron Finley, the self-described "Gangster Gardener." Get the MasterClass Annual Membership and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community—and the world—a better place.