Morning Star
- FastraX perennial: First year flowering without vernalization
- Small, compact plant habit
- Perfect for pot production
- Great combination with spring bloomers
- Crop Time
- Spring: 15 - 16 weeks
- Height ∅
- 6 ″ / 15 cm
- Exposure
- Sun
- Seed Form
- Raw Seed
- Heat Zone
- 9-4
- Hardiness Zone
- 4-8
- Best Uses
- Bedding, Rockery
Culture guide
Usage
Evergreen perennial, first year flowering without vernalization. For beds, borders, and mixed containers
Sow time
January-April flower flowering from May onwards; August to September for flowering the following year in March
Sowing method
2-3 seeds per plug
Germination
4-10 days at 68-70 °F (20-21 °C). Cover seeds lightly. Finish plugs at 65-68 °F (18-20 °C)
Growing on
Transplant into well-drained media. Grow on at 60-65 °F (15-18 °C) for optimum growth. Night temperatures below 55 °F (13 °C) significantly slow plant growth and increase crop times. Cool mature plants or large plugs for best flowering.
Media
Use a well-drained, growing perennial substrate, pH: 5.8-7.0.
Temperature
Grow at 13-17 °C. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. Outdoors a fleece cover is needed. For forcing in spring grow for 10-11 weeks at 15-18 °C. Cold temperatures from 7-12 °C slow down plant growth and increase crop times. At temperatures below 7 °C plants stop growing.
Fertilization
Low-moderate fertilization levels are required.
Tip
Armeria Morning Star is an excellent component in early season mixed containers with Pansy, Viola, Bellis, Festuca and Dusty Miller. Does not compete with these items in the container.
Stage I Starts with the radicle breaking through the testa. The roots are touching the medium. Ends with fully developed cotyledons.
Stage II Starts from fully developed cotyledons. Ends with the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair.
Stage III Starts from the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair and ends with 80% of the young plants being marketable.
Stage IV All young plants are ready for sale and in the process of being hardened off. This stage lasts about 7 days.
The cultural recommendations are based on results from trials conducted under Central European conditions. Different conditions in other parts of the world may lead to deviations in results achieved.
