Position – Full sun or part shade
Soil – Moist, well-drained
Flowering Period – Spring
Hardiness – Hardy
Puschkinia are dwarf bulbous perennial plants, native to South West Asia. Erect stems fashion clusters of large star-shaped blooms of interchangeable colour – from white to stunning pale blue. It is suggested that Puschkinia are best suited to flower beds and borders or utilised as under planting within cottage and informal gardens, or alternatively within pots and containers. These will bloom during the spring where you should expect to see them grow to an approximate height and spread of 15cm (6”).
Puschkinia are best planted in moist, well-drained soil of chalk, clay, loam or sand within an acidic, alkaline or neutral PH balance. It is recommended that Puschkinia are planted during the autumn, dug to a depth of 8-10cm (3-4”) and spaced approximately 10cm (4”) apart. They are best positioned in an area of full sun or part shade as this is where they will thrive and develop to optimum effect.
Once the flowering period is over, you should allow the foliage to die back before pruning as this will naturally prepare these plants for the following season. It is important that you keep the soil moist, so you must maintain a consistent and thorough watering schedule, especially during periods of drought. Apply a generous layer of mulch in the autumn to retain moisture levels and to protect the plant from excessive cold and weeds.
It is possible to propagate Puschkinia by seed sown during the summer or autumn set in containers within a cold frame or as separate offsets as the leaves die down.
