Once my relatives sent me a photo of an unknown plant marked “unknown with” roses “on the stems”, which pleased them throughout the summer.
It was a California beauty-Clarkia unguiculata syn. C. elegans. A remarkable representative of the family Onagraceae, native to the United States (California). The name of the genus was given by the American captain W. Clark.
This is an annual plant with thin, stiff stems, 30-100 cm (1-3.3 feet) tall and 20 cm (7.8 inches) wide. The leaves are elliptical to oval. The flowers are solitary, orange-pink, purplish-red, dark red-purple, rarely white, 1.5-4 cm (0.6-1.6 inches) in diameter, often double in the leaf axils; they bloom in summer, starting in June. Flowering is abundant. There are many varieties, especially decorative ones with double flowers. In culture since 1832.
Clarkia is cold-resistant, light-loving, relatively drought-resistant, but needs watering in hot, dry summers; it is responsive to fertilizing with a full mineral fertilizer. Propagate it by seeds (in the open ground in spring or winter).
Clarkia is good in mixed borders, mixed perennial country style borders, Moorish lawn. Wonderful summer plants for growing on balconies (in containers and pots).
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