How to Grow Cineraria: Winter Colour for a Shady Veranda
Cineraria is the winter pot plant for the shady veranda that defeats most flowers: a dome of daisy blooms in blue, purple, pink and white from about January to March. To grow cineraria well, raise or buy it in October and November, keep it in bright light with no afternoon sun, water evenly, and watch the leaf undersides for aphids.
Cineraria at a glance
- Botanical name: florist’s cineraria, Pericallis hybrids (older labels say Senecio cruentus)
- Sow on the plains: September end to October; nursery plants arrive November to December
- Karachi: sow October to November
- Pot: 3 to 5 litres (6 to 8 inch) per plant
- Light: 2 to 4 hours of morning sun, bright shade after
- Bloom: around January to March
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Is cineraria an annual or a perennial?
Technically a perennial; practically, a one season pot plant. NC State’s extension toolbox describes it as a hybrid perennial that is usually grown as an annual or houseplant, and florist plants often decline after flowering and get thrown away. On our plains summer heat finishes them off anyway. Expect one winter and enjoy it.
Seed or nursery plant: what should a beginner do?
Honest answer: buy plants. Cineraria seed is fine and slow, seedlings take months, and they need cool, steady conditions most homes can’t give in September and October. A nursery plant in bud in December gives you weeks of colour for a modest price. Grow from seed only if you enjoy the process and have a cool, shaded spot for trays.
How do I grow cineraria from seed, if I want to?
- Timing: late September to October on the plains, when nights begin to cool.
- Tray: a fine mix of half cocopeat and half sieved compost. Sow thinly on the surface and barely cover.
- Keep cool and shaded, covered with paper or plastic, and moist. Seedlings usually appear within 2 weeks.
- Prick out at 3 to 4 leaves into small cups, then into final 6 to 8 inch pots after about a month.
- Final mix: 2 parts soil, 1 part compost, 1 part cocopeat. Cineraria likes moisture held evenly but never soggy.
Our seed starting guide covers trays and pricking out in detail.
Where should I keep a cineraria pot?
| Zone | Best spot | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi, coastal | Covered balcony, bright shade | Warm spells in February |
| Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi | Veranda with morning sun | Frost nights, fog weeks |
| Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur | East facing wall or veranda | Hot afternoons from late February |
| Islamabad, Peshawar | Veranda, indoors on frost nights | Frost |
| Hills | Indoors by a bright window in winter | Cold rooms below freezing |
Turn it away from the afternoon
Cineraria leaves are large and thin, and they flop like wet cloth in afternoon sun even in February. Give it morning light only. If a plant wilts at 3 pm in damp soil, don’t water more: move it into shade and it usually stands up again by evening. Wilting with wet soil plus more water is how most cinerarias die.
How often should I water cineraria?
Check daily with a finger. Water when the top 1 to 2 cm is dry, usually every 2 to 3 days in winter, at the soil, not over the flowers. Empty the saucer after 20 minutes. On frost nights, carry pots indoors or under a roof; a plant left outside at 0°C turns black. Feed with a half strength balanced liquid feed every 2 weeks once buds form; skip feeding in fog weeks when growth is slow.
Why is my cineraria not flowering?
- Too dark: deep indoor shade gives leaves only. It needs bright light.
- Too warm: plants near heaters or in a hot kitchen drop buds.
- Sown late: a December sowing barely reaches flowering before heat.
- Dried out once: one severe wilt can abort buds.
Pests: aphids first
Aphids are the cineraria pest. NC State lists aphids, thrips, spider mites, whiteflies and leaf miners, with botrytis (grey mould) in damp spells. Check under the leaves every few days. Rinse aphids off with a gentle jet, or wipe with a soft cloth dipped in mild soapy water. Remove leaves with leaf miner trails and any mouldy flowers. If you reach for a spray, read the whole label, wear gloves, spray outside, and keep children and pets clear until dry.
Cineraria is a flower for looking at, not eating. Keep pots where toddlers and pets can’t chew the leaves. Plants that come from nurseries are often sprayed, so wash hands after repotting. If a child swallows a pesticide or plant, call a doctor at once. More on genuinely dangerous plants is in our poisonous plants guide.
Can I save cineraria seed?
You can, but it’s rarely worth it. Faded heads make fluffy seed, and seed from hybrid plants won’t match the parent. Most growers deadhead to stretch flowering and buy fresh seed or plants each autumn. If you try, let a head go fluffy, snip it into a paper bag and store the seed dry until September.
Grow it or skip it?
Grow it if you have a shaded veranda or covered balcony and want winter colour there. Maybe on a sunny roof only if you can move pots into shade by afternoon. Skip it if you want something that lasts past March. Pots, always. For the mix see our potting mix ratios, and for scented company in a sunnier spot try stock flowers. More in Phool aur Paudhe.
Cineraria questions people ask
How do I care for cineraria in a pot?
Keep it in bright shade with only morning sun, water when the top centimetre dries, empty the saucer, and check for aphids weekly.
When should I sow cineraria seeds in Pakistan?
Late September to October on the plains and October to November in Karachi. Most people simply buy budded plants in December.
How long does cineraria take to flower from seed?
Several months. An October sowing usually flowers from January or February.
Why is my cineraria drooping?
Afternoon heat or sun makes the big leaves flop even in moist soil. Move it to shade before adding water; overwatering rots the roots.
Does cineraria come back next year?
Rarely in our climate. It is grown as a one season plant and usually dies in summer heat.
Can cineraria grow indoors?
Yes, near a bright window in a cool room. Warm, dark rooms make it drop buds.
How do I get rid of aphids on cineraria?
Rinse them off with a gentle jet of water or wipe leaves with mild soapy water, repeating every few days until they stop returning.
Should I deadhead cineraria?
Yes, snip faded flowers. It keeps the plant tidy and can extend flowering by a few weeks.