AnnualsDiscover the right annual plants for your garden.
Whirlwind ® Starlight ™ fan flower ( Scaevola aemula ) . Photo by Proven Winners .
Even if you ’re a veteran gardener , you may have never heard of buff prime ( Scaevola aemula ) . aboriginal to Australia , this gorgeous sun - lover is a relative newcomer to gardens in the U.S. , but it ’s get on speedily because of its exquisite sweetheart and power to flower tirelessly even during the dog days of summer .
From spring well into fall , scaevola plantsput on a perpetual display of delicate bloom with lilliputian petal arranged in a fanlike figure , giving the flowers a wonderfully exotic look . Even better , fan heyday is tough and well-heeled going and will stay on to blossom even when neglected .
On this Sir Frederick Handley Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Pictures|FAQs|Design Ideas
On this page :
THE BASICS
Other common names:
Fan flower , fairy fan flower , half blossom
Plant type:
Annual in most country of the country . In lovesome climate ( zones 9 - 11 ) , it can be regale as a tender perennial .
Bloom period:
Late spring into fall
Flower color and characteristics:
depressed , pink , white , and purple , with hopeful yellow - and - lily-white throats . Although each bloom has only five petals ( thus the common name “ half flower ” ) , the blossom maturate in clusters around the stems , creating whorls of color .
Foliage:
Small bright - green oval leaves with toothed edges .
Mature height/spread:
6 to 14 inch grandiloquent , and 1 to 2 feet wide
Special attributes:
" Scaevola is one of my all time annual favorites for full sunshine locations . From the initial planting to the oddment of the season , this one-year out execute other plant with it ’s prolific flower video display . With regular plant care , watering and fertilizing , I have a ' demonstrate winner ' in my hanging basketball hoop year after year ! " — Pennsylvania gardener
PLANTING TIPS
Photo by NagyG / Shutterstock .
Where to plant:
Plant rooter blossom in a location that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily in well - drained garden soil . Fan flowers are n’t particular about soil case or pH , but they wo n’t brook soggy conditions . Because fan flowers are drought - tolerant , they are a full choice for scurvy - water gardens . They also do well in coastal garden because they are n’t gravel by salty air .
When to plant:
In spring , after all danger of frost is past .
How to plant:
Before planting fan heyday in garden beds , amend heavy or dense soil with constituent matter to ameliorate drain . localise your plants at the same astuteness at which they were growing in their container , spacing them about 12 to 18 column inch apart to give them room to propagate .
CARING FOR FAN FLOWER
Watering:
Fan flower are very drought - patient of , so only urine when the soil feel dry . Keep transplants well - watered for the first few weeks until they become established .
Fertilizing:
To coax the most prolific prime product from fan blossom , fertilize your plants regularly using awater - soluble fertilizeror aslow - release granular fertilizeradded to the soil at planting time , following the dosage good word given on the package . Container - grown industrial plant may need more frequent fertilizing to keep them looking their good .
Pruning:
Fan heyday do n’t need deadheading , but they may benefit from pinching back of the stems if they become too leggy . This will aid to stimulate novel growth and make your plants look full .
Problems:
Fan flower is imperviable to most pest and diseases , but it is prone to root putrefaction if soil conditions are too wet . Proper soil report , lofty garden layer , and containers with adequate drainage holes are the best ways to ensure well drainage and optimum wet level .
PRO TIP:
" Container plants may be overwintered indoors or cut may be taken in former summer for winter indoors . Bedding industrial plant may be pot up in descent and overwinter . “—Missouri Botanical Garden
VARIETIES
Although buff flower is still a bit of a novelty , it ’s well worth attempt out . If you ca n’t find transplants at a local garden centre , a growing number of online nurseries are begin to carry fan flush . Scaevolas all look quite similar , with the only differences being flower color and industrial plant sizing .
picture by : Proven Winners
Whirlwind ® Pink — bribe now from Proven WinnersScaevola aemula
pinnacle and spread:8 to 14 inches tall , 18 to 24 inch across-the-board
A longtime favorite for nonstop summer semblance , Whirlwind ® sports fan flowers deliver cascading blooms on baffling , trailing plants that thrive in heating system and drouth . These self - cleaning annuals bloom from engraft to frost with no deadheading needed . Perfect for slop from container or softening garden edges , their bee - friendly prime add leisurely beauty all season long .
Also in racy ( purpleness ) and white .
" I am so impressed with how this one deem up in hot summertime rut . I have great deal of pretty blooms ! " — British Columbia , Canada gardener
Whirlwind ® Starlight — Buy now from Proven WinnersScaevola aemula
Height and spread:4 to 8 inches tall , 10 to 14 inches panoptic
impart a speck of trick with Whirlwind ® Starlight , a standout variety feature ringlet of blue - royal and white flush that shine against green foliage . This bicolor sweetheart trail elegantly from container or garden edges and thrive through heat energy , drouth , and hard summertime weather . Long - bloom and bee - friendly , it brings effortless magic spell from planting to frost — no deadheading call for .
" This do nicely . It embrace the front of its pot . It ’s the best preform scaevola I have had . It intertwined with mini vista pink star , very pretty combination . " — CA nurseryman
Stardiva ® blueness — Buy now from Proven WinnersScaevola aemula
Stardiva ® breaks the mold with star - mold efflorescence that offer a fuller face than traditional fan blossom . These succinct , semi - trailing industrial plant radiate in container or borders and bloom nonstop from planting to frost — no deadheading involve . elusive and colorful , they flourish in heat , sun , and drought while attracting pollinators all time of year long .
Also in pink and white .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does fan flower come back every year?
Fan flower is typically grown as an yearly in most realm . It ’s only recurrent in hoarfrost - loose climates ( Zones 10–11 ) , where it may return twelvemonth after year .
How do you keep fan flower blooming?
Fan bloom is naturally long - blooming and self - cleaning , so it does n’t need deadheading . Just give it full Lord’s Day , average water , and a monthly dose of fertilizer to keep the bloom going strong all season .
Why is my fan flower not blooming?
Fan flower needs plenteousness of sunlight — at least 6 hours a mean solar day — to bloom well . If it ’s not flowering , it may be in too much shade or take a hike from fertilizer . Also check for overly wet soil , which can emphasise the plant .
DoesScaevolaspread?
Scaevola has a tracking or go around habit , especially in containers or along the ground , but it last out compact and see to it . It ’s not invasive and wo n’t take over your garden .
DESIGN IDEAS
" Angel Wings " container recipe include Angelface ® Cascade Blue angeloina , Supertunia ® Really Red petunia , Whirlwind ® Blue and Whirlwind ® White fan flower .
In containers:
Because fan flower has a trail increment drug abuse , it is the idealistic spiller plant for containers , hanging basket , and windowpane boxes . Be sure to use a general - purpose potting mix that will drain freely , and place your plant life near the edges so they can cascade down over the sides to show off their dainty flowers .
Fan flowers look great constitute alone , but they are as sensational in mixed container plantings , paired with other heat - loving summertime annuals that have good drouth tolerance . You ca n’t go wrong with any of these container fellow traveller :
Garden uses:
In addition to being a complete container companion , scaevola can also be used as a groundcover , in the front of a bed or border , in rock garden , and also in emasculated flower arrangements .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Balogh is a longtime horticulture writer and editor for Garden Design , with over 20 years of experience covering everything from container planting to landscape painting trends . She draws stirring from her own Zone 5 garden in Illinois , where she experiments with hardy perennials and flowering annuals .
