Perfect for pollinators Cuckoo flower- Cardamine pratensis- takes it’s name from it’s flowering period in April which coincides with the arrival of the first cuckoos. It is also known as Lady’s Smock or Milkmaids. Cuckooflower is a wetland plant most often associated with water meadows in flood plains or boggy moorland and will attract Orange tip butterflies in early spring. It also grows alongside small watercourses and in spring it’s bright lilac flowers can spectacularly bring an old ditch to life. In a wildflower garden, Cuckoo flower can be included around the margins of a pond and will readily set seed once established. It can also be propagated fairly easily. Cuckoo flower looks best growing other spring flowering wetland plants alongside Ragged Robin and Marsh marigolds. How to grow Cuckoo flower seeds Cuckoo flower seeds should be sown in trays of compost in spring or autumn using fresh seed. The trays should be kept moist. Once germinated, the seedlings can be pricked out and grown on, for planting out later in the year. Once established Cuckoo flower plants will self-seed quite readily given the right conditions RHS Perfect for Pollinators. The RHS Perfect for Pollinators mark is only given to plants that support pollinating insects in gardens. Bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and many others visit flowers to feed on nectar and pollen; while doing so they transfer pollen and increase seed set and fruit development. Find out more at: rhs.org.uk/plants To discover more plants for Bees, simply enter the word "pollinators" into the search box above. To buy Cuckoo flower seeds To purchase Cuckoo flower seeds, please select a quantity above and click add to cart. To ensure the best chance of success, we sell all of our wildflower seeds by weight, which ensures each wildflower seed packet contains a good quantity of seeds. The recommended sowing rate is 1 gram per square metre, and the number of Cuckoo flower seeds per packet is approx. 140. All of our Wildflower seed packets contain seeds of Native British provenance. Summary type - perennial, colour - Lilac, flowering months - April, May, June, habitat - Very Wet Grassland (eg pond edges, Water Meadow), Moist Grassland (Clay, Loams), Caterpillar Food Plant, Attracts Butterflies |
Printed 06/12/2024 14:51:01
st20_1 2 type perennial colour lilac flowers april may june habitat very wet grassland eg pond edges water meadow moist grassland clay loams caterpillar food plant attracts butterflies rhs perfect for pollinators pollinating insects bees butterflies moths hoverflies