By Julie Christensen
If you ’re look for a tough , attractive bedding plant life , look no further than Dusty Miller(Senecio cineraria ) . This industrial plant , native to the Mediterranean , is reliably hardy in USDA plant hardiness zona 7 through 10 , although with a little winter protection , it may exist as far north as zone 5 .
In meek regions , the plant is a subshrub perennial and grows to over 2 feet high-pitched . Beginning the second summer , the plant grow bright yellow flowers , which stool signified considering that it is associate to helianthus . Many gardeners prefer the leafage to the blooms and fleece the flowers off . In northern region , Dusty Miller is treated as an annual . plant in the bound after the last Robert Frost , it offers interest and color throughout the season and even survives the first frosts in the declension .
Dusty Miller is valued for its grayish - greenish parting . The leave are covered with tiny white or grizzly hairs , which give the works a diffuse , wooly look . The leafage has a lacey texture with lance - like leaves . When grown as an annual , Dusty Miller seldom grows taller than 12 to 15 inches .
Growing Dusty Miller
Dusty Miller is ordinarily started from baby’s room transplant in the fountain , although you’re able to also depart it from cum or from cuttings taken from the tip . get going seeds indoors in a come - starting tray 10 to 15 weeks before the last frost . Dusty Miller seeds do n’t need cold-blooded social stratification to germinate . Keep seed tray moist and slimly fond for best resolution . At temperature between 65 and 75 stage , seeds should germinate within 10 to 14 day .
Dusty Miller get full in full sunshine and might become spindly in shadowiness . It prefers rich , slenderly moist stain , but it tolerate piteous filth and drouth , as well . Dusty Miller from time to time suffers from rust , but has few worm or disease problems , otherwise . Dusty Miller is even resistant to deer , according to the Missouri Botanical Garden . To battle rust , space plants so air circulates freely , and avoid wetting the leaf . Remove any pathologic plants quick . Cut back plants that become spindly to encourage more vigorous maturation . In northern climates , Dusty Miller will stay on to grow until consistently cold temperature come . Once the elevation die back , prune them off to eliminate the luck of disease in the garden . Mulch the ground with 2 inches of woodwind instrument chips and mark the area where the works grow . If you ’re lucky , the plant just might seem again in the springiness .
Because of its chemical attraction for heat and sun , Dusty Miller combines well with other native and drought - tolerant perennial and annuals . couple it with yarrow , lamb ’s spike , mean solar day lily , Echinacea , coreopsis or black - eyed Susan . Dusty Miller also makes a fine accompaniment to flowering annual in mass , basketball hoop and other containers . Its grey foliation is lovely with white , purple or blue flowers . Try it with lobelia , Petunia or madwort . Dusty Miller is also a good choice for a moonlight garden because its smooth-spoken foliage reflects the eve light . Pair it with moon peak , nicotiana or other white flowers .
Varieties
Most nurseries carry only one or two varieties of Dusty Miller , but if you ’d wish to try out , look around for any of the following varieties : ‘ Silver Lace ’ is a tall plant , growing 18 inches grandiloquent . It has an airy form with very lacey foliage . ‘ Silver Queen ’ is ideal for container cultures because it only originate 8 inch magniloquent . It also has lacey leafage . ‘ Cirrus ’ has a simpler form with lobed leaves . This plant grows 18 inches marvelous . ‘ Silver Dust ’ has deep dissected leave and stay on compact .
For more information , chaffer the following tie-in :
Dusty Millerfrom the University of Wisconsin Master Gardener Program
Dusty Miller a Water Wise Sub Shrub , from Oregon State University Extension
When she ’s not write about gardening , food for thought and canning , Julie Christensen enjoys spending sentence in her gardens , which admit perennials , vegetables and yield tree . She ’s written hundreds of gardening article for the Gardening Channel , Garden Guides and San Francisco Gate , as well as several e - Scripture .
