A beautiful and easily grown annual with attractive fennel-like foliage. A unique mixture of mauve, lavender, purple, rose and blue. Very useful for bedding and cut flowers. The large seed pods can also be dried for winter decoration indoors.

Sow early spring to early summer outdoors where they are to flower. Prepare the ground well and rake to a fine tilth before sowing. Sow 3mm (1/8in) deep in rows 30cm (12in) apart. Germination usually takes approximately 21 days.

When large enough to handle thin out to 23cm (9in) apart. They prefer a sunny open site but will grow in most sites and soils. An early autumn sowing can be made in sheltered areas for earlier flowers the following year.