Cerinthe
( ser - RINTH - ee )
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At-A-Glance InformationCerinthe, commonly called Honeywort, Blue Shrimp Plant or Wax Flower, is a genus filled with plants that can take full sun to light shade and need regular water. The nectar produced by the flowers will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. These plants are native to the Mediterranean, and have been cultivated since ancient times. Use Cerinthe plants in mixed beds and borders, in containers, or as specimens.
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Cerinthe species and Varietals
The genus Cerinthe is a member of the plant family Boraginaceae, and includes just six species, only one of which (Cerinthe major) is commonly cultivated in landscapes. The genus name is derived from the Greek word keros (meaning wax) and anthos (meaning flower). Cerinthe plants grow well in zones 1-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Cerinthe major (Blue Shrimp Plants, Pride of Gibraltar, Honeywort)
Native to the Mediterranean, plants of this species can get to around 2 feet tall and bloom from spring to fall. Flowers are yellow and leaves are green. Varietals are more commonly cultivated than the true species. 'Purpurascens', pictured, has purple flowers and blue-green foliage.
Native to the Mediterranean, plants of this species can get to around 2 feet tall and bloom from spring to fall. Flowers are yellow and leaves are green. Varietals are more commonly cultivated than the true species. 'Purpurascens', pictured, has purple flowers and blue-green foliage.
Cerinthe major var. major
With sea-green bracts and yellow flowers. |
'Kiwi Blue'
Blue bracts and flowers. |
'Purple Belle'
With magenta flowers, to 2 feet tall. |
'Purpurascens'
With purple flowers and blue-green foliage. |
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Cerinthe minor (Lesser Honeywort, Waxflower) A smaller perennial or annual species in the genus with yellow flowers. Leaves are fleshy and blue-green, and flower bracts are purple when fully developed. Individual plants reach up to 12.5 inches tall and a little less wide when mature and in bloom. The species is native to areas in southern Europe, and has naturalized in northern Europe. |
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Cerinthe retorta (Greek Cerinthe) Native to the Mediterranean, this species produces curved flower clusters with purple and yellow bicolored flowers. Leaves are soft green and ovular. Main bloom time is from spring into summertime, and in mild climates they bloom almost year-round. Individual plants reach up to between 24 and 36 inches tall and wide. |
Caring for Cerinthe
These are easy to grow from seed, and can self-sow but are not considered to be invasive. In mild-winter climates, seedlings will appear in late summer and bloom in the following spring. Seeds can also be started indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost of your area passes by. They can be grown in-ground or in containers. Grow these plants in full sun to partial shade; they will appreciate some afternoon shade in warmer climates. Cerinthe plants prefer soil to be well-draining and have a pH of between 5.8 and 7.1 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. After planting Honeywort, mulch around the base of the plant with organic mulching material to help retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth. Keep mulch away from the plant stems, as this can encourage an environment for root rot issues to take hold. Water new plantings regularly until they develop a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are considered to be drought-tolerant, but will produce more flowers if they are given regular waterings. As a general rule of thumb, irrigate when the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch.
To fertilize, apply a 2-inch blanket of compost to the planting area each year. Pull back mulch, apply compost and work it into the soil, apply some water, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, but if they seem to be struggling or not flowering well (or if local soils are particularly poor in nutrients), another application of compost can be worked into soil in early summertime. Cerinthe plants are very easy to care for and typically do not need to be pruned in any way. For a neater appearance, simply remove yellowing or dead foliage. If you are in a warmer zone and are growing these plants as perennials, an early springtime cleanup is sometimes required to clear out the foliage that got a little too cold during the winter months. Simply take off all of the browned plant material and a flush of new growth will emerge, helped along by an early springtime compost nutrient boost.
To fertilize, apply a 2-inch blanket of compost to the planting area each year. Pull back mulch, apply compost and work it into the soil, apply some water, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, but if they seem to be struggling or not flowering well (or if local soils are particularly poor in nutrients), another application of compost can be worked into soil in early summertime. Cerinthe plants are very easy to care for and typically do not need to be pruned in any way. For a neater appearance, simply remove yellowing or dead foliage. If you are in a warmer zone and are growing these plants as perennials, an early springtime cleanup is sometimes required to clear out the foliage that got a little too cold during the winter months. Simply take off all of the browned plant material and a flush of new growth will emerge, helped along by an early springtime compost nutrient boost.
Propagation
Cerinthe can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Honeywort, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Cerinthe by Cutting
Propagating Cerinthe by Seed
Propagating Cerinthe by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 3-4 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new Honeywort plant.
Propagating Cerinthe by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Cerinthe plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes about three weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
When Cerinthe flowers are pollinated, they will produce viable seeds.
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Cerinthe seeds are small and dark brown to black.
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Problems and Pests
Cerinthe plants are generally pest and disease-free additions to the landscape. For information on commonly encountered pests and diseases in the garden, consult the following pages:
Gallery
Many gardeners choose to include Honeywort as a member of their cut flower gardens.
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This Honeywort is being grown at the base of a larger shrub, which helps to cover its bare base.
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Here, a Honeywort plant is grown behind a fountain amongst other greenery.
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Bees and other pollinators will be drawn to these plants.
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Growing Cerinthe in containers is a popular gardening trend.
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The bract color of these flowering shrublets is eye-catchingly dark in many varieties.
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Videos
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Why you should grow these plants in your garden.
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A variety spotlight on Honeywort 'Kiwi Blue'.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 233 - 234, Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'
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