Cephalaria radiata

CREAM GIANT

ROMANIAN PINCUSHIONS

No WA

Cephalaria radiata
CREAM GIANT ROMANIAN PINCUSHIONS

Cephalaria radiata is a delightful rarity from Romania.

Airy-fairy must-have

The Cream Giant Romanian Pincushion (the name says it all) is one of those must-have, airy-fairy, see-through plants that are indispensable in the garden for creating a misty soft look.

Fragrant creamy pincushions sway in every breeze 

As fragrant creamy pincushions wave and sway on 1.5m stems above a neat, compact foliage base 75cm. wide.
So Cephalaria radiata gives great height without taking up much ground space.
The pincushion flowers have a sweet fragrance and the foliage is also aromatic of aniseed.

See-through beauty

It has such an airy, graceful and tall, but whispy substance.
So it can be happily planted amongst smaller growing flowers, roses or smaller shrubs, and does not need to be banished to the back of the flower garden.

Tall & graceful

It gives height, interest and excellent value for a small amount of space and creates a misty veil but does not obscure.
The lofty flower stems arch very gracefully, instead of growing straight up.

Dainty pincushions & ferny foliage

So the dainty pincushions are borne proudly on widely branched stems that weave amongst other plants.
The foliage of Cephalaria radiata is also more divided, ferny and attractive than the other Giant Pincushions (Cephalaria gigantea – the very tallest; and Cephalaria alpina – almost as tall)
And the soft creamy colouring goes with anything.

Most prolific blooming of all the Giant Pincushions

Cephalaria radiata is the most abundant blooming of all the Giant Pincushions, with the blooms continuing for a longer season and longer lasting on the plant.
It is also later coming into bloom – beginning in mid summer and going for much longer till the end of autumn. 

Lovely cut for vases

Abundant creamy pincushion blooms are fabulous for vases indoors, where they last well.
Plus they are borne on incredibly long, clean stems soaring from the leafy, woody low base.

Neat perennial clump below the tall waving blooms

Cephalaria radiata makes a hardy, evergreen perennial, clump that is so very easy to have in the garden for flowers, fragrance and foliage.
1.5m. Tall x 75cm. Wide.

Water-wise plant

It is also a water-wise plant – because it has such a deep foraging root system.
So it prefers an occasional deep soaking rather than frequent smaller watering.
And can therefore withstand periods of dry,  becoming quite drought resistant once established.

Easy to grow & low maintenance

Tough and easy to grow, with little annual maintenance required.
So the only work is to cut the blooms for vases and chop the flower stems back hard in late autumn at the end of flowering .

Hardy & tough in a wide range of conditions

Plant in Full Sun to ½ Shade where it is hardy in frost and wide range of soils.
It just thrives in gritty soil, gravelly, sandy and all well drained soils, but can also tolerate clay if it is not waterlogged.

Bees & butterflies adore it but rabbits & deer do not

Bees, butterflies and other useful pollinators are drawn like magnets to the nectar and pollen rich blooms; while rabbits and deer are not so fond of the aroma and taste of the foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Suitable for beginners & gardening with kids

Sow seeds of Cephalaria radiata at any time from late winter to autumn end.

Sow indoors for quick & early plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then barely cover the seed to approx. 1.5mm depth with sieved seed mix or fine vermiculite.
Because these seeds need light to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the mix by standing the punnet in a shallow water bath and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Then place the moist, sown punnet in a warm, well-lit position (but not in any direct sunlight).
Temperatures of 18-21C best for rapid germination.
And you can use a heat mat if you have one to maintain warmth.

Keep consistently moist by misting regularly from a spray water-bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid will also help to maintain consistent moisture.

Then seedlings emerge in 14-21 days.

Seed Count: 20 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to be generous with our serves and exceed the stated seed count)

GROWING: Cephalaria radiata

– Height with flowers: Creamy pincushions on 1.5m approx. branching, airy, gracefully arching stems.
– Width: At the base is a neat clump of foliage to a diameter of 75cm. approx.
– Position: Full Sun or Partial to 1/2 Shade.
Because Cepahalaria radiate is a very obliging, hardy, easy growing plant.
It also quite enjoys the company of other plants.
So plant amongst other perennials or trees and shrubs, where it can billow up to it’s heart’s content.

Hardy & easy to grow

– Water-wise: Cephalaria radiata is not a particularly thirsty or fussy plant. So normal, average garden watering is ample. It can withstand periods of dry between drinks, and becomes quite drought resistant once established.
– Soil: Cephalaria radiata is undemanding. So it will grow happily in a very wide range of soils. From light sandy to heavy clay, and anywhere in between.
But it does thrive with a handful of lime (unless you live on limestone country where it is exceptionally happy).
– Frost: Cephalaria radiata is very frost hardy, because it can tolerate frosts to well below -10C.

Low maintenance

– Growth: Perennial clump.
– Care: Cephalaria radiata is an easy care, low maintenance plant.
So the only real work is to cut back the tall flower branches after autumn. And you cut these right to the ground. So leaving the perennial foliage clump.
Plus a handful of fertilizer and lime in spring, rewards with even more pincushions over summer.
Cephalaria are hardy plants that are also rarely if ever, plagued by pests and diseases.
Although it is such a tall plant, it rarely needs any extra staking. Because it is so airy the wind just passes through the flexible stems.

So nice to have in the garden

– Fragrant: The creamy pincushions have a sweet scent wafts delightfully on the breeze, plus the foliage is aromatic of anise. Flowers also make excellent cut flowers in a vase (but make it a tall one).
– Beneficial for wildlife: Bees, and other welcome pollinators, just love the nectar rich pincushions.
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: Those pesky blighters usually prefer to eat something else, as they dislike the anise flavour and scent of the foliage.
– Origin: Cephalaria radiata has largely disappeared from it’s native Romania due to modernized agriculture. Though it is a hardy and adaptable plant, well adapted to both hot and cold conditions. It prefers stony, limestone hillsides.

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