Honeywort Is a Unique Flower for the Bee-Friendly Garden or Pots
Grow honeywort (Cerinthe major) for its blue-green leaves and the eye-catching purple bracts that frame its pollinator-attracting flowers
Honeywort, or Cerinthe major, is an unusual plant that may be difficult to find for sale but is well worth growing from seed. It offers unique drooping flowers that peek from richly colored bracts and attract bees. Its foliage is also appealing, with its blue-green color. Easy to please, honeywort is a nice plant for any gardener looking for something a bit different for beds, borders or pots.
Common name: Honeywort
Botanical name: Cerinthe major
Origin: The species Cerinthe major is native to the Mediterranean region and concentrated in Greece and southern Italy. There, it grows in open meadows, germinating in fall and flowering during the winter.
Flowers: Tiny bell-like flowers occur in drooping clusters at the ends of the plant's arched stems. They are enhanced by several layers of larger leaf-like bracts, which begin green but take on dark purple tones with age and cooler temperatures. The deepest flower and bract color is said to come from the variety 'Purpurascens'. The bracts remain attractive even after the true flowers dry out.
Foliage: Stiff, bluish-green, rough-feeling oval leaves line the stems. They can show white spots, which disappear with age. Cooler temperatures bring out a richer color in the leaves.
Size and habit: Cerinthe major grows as a roughly foot-wide clump of upright stems between one and four feet tall. The growing conditions affect the height, with more sun and richer soil producing larger plants.
Growing honeywort
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
How to grow it: Plant honeywort in full sun to part shade and well-drained garden soil. Regular watering will promote the best flowers and leaves, although this plant can tolerate some drought. It grows well in containers, but for the best performance do not let the potting soil dry out; instead, keep it moderately moist (not soggy). Cerinthe major is most easily purchased as seed to sow indoors four to six weeks before the last frost or outdoors after the risk of frost has passed. Soak the large seeds overnight to speed germination. This plant may reseed, especially in Mediterranean climates. Best grown as a cool-season annual.
