Dusty Miller Silverado Seeds

(Syn. Cineraria maritima)

Dusty Miller has a crisp new look, and you can get it no matter what type of climate you garden in! Silverado is a neat, compact variety known for its uniform size and terrific resistance to bad weather from rain and wind to heat and dry soil. Make it part of your garden this season.

These plants reach just 10 to 12 inches high and wide, without stretching, flopping, or becoming rangy as the season progresses. They even tolerate a bit of frost, and keep their tidy, well-branched habit beautifully right through the dog days of August. The foliage is wonderfully lacy and fine, with a silvery gray sheen that looks great next to any other color leaves from green to purple.

Ideal for containers and edging because its size is so predictable, Silverado also makes a nice mass planting as well as an accent in the foundation. It likes full sun in cooler climates, a bit of shade in warmer areas, and if you live south of zone 7 or so, chances are it will remain evergreen right through winter. (Technically the plant is a perennial sun-shrub, though it's grown everywhere as an annual.)

You may notice tiny yellow flowers on this plant intermittently in spring and summer. Not particularly ornamental, the blooms can be snipped off or simply ignored. The beauty of Silverado is its magnificent foliage. If you enjoy arranging cut-flowers in the vase, be sure to grow a few Silverado plants in the cutting garden to use as filler for your bouquets. The silver color and finely-cut texture really pop in the vase.

All this Dusty Miller really needs to grow reliably and well is good soil drainage and at least half a day of full sun. Sprinkle it freely about the garden and on the patio for one-of-a-kind color you can enjoy at least 3 seasons of the year.