'Orchid Flame' Nasturtium Seeds

These beautiful blooms open bright yellow with red edges and blushes. Then, as they mature, the red creeps farther and farther across the bloom, creating all sorts of uniquely beautiful patterns. No two flowers will be just alike on 'Orchid Flame' Nasturtium—each is an individual masterpiece.

This annual is a trailing variety, mounding up to about a foot high but then spreading or cascading 3 to 4 feet long. What a great choice for hanging baskets or trellises. A quick grower, 'Orchid Flame' Nasturtium is blooming merrily by early summer, and really doesn't stop until the weather turns cold.

The flowers on 'Orchid Flame' Nasturtium are unlike those of any other in the garden. Measuring 2 inches across, they stand out boldly—and like all nasturtiums, they are edible, making lovely embellishments on cakes and salads. But chances are you won't be able to cut them, because they are so pretty in the garden.

And 'Orchid Flame' Nasturtium is much more than just an ornamental. It makes a fine companion to vegetables in the garden by attracting bees and repelling destructive pests, particularly around Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, mustard and collard greens, etc.). 'Orchid Flame' Nasturtium is also useful as a barrier planting around your tomatoes and cucumbers, and some gardeners find it a helpful pest deterrent when ringed around young fruit trees.

Nasturtium is easy to grow from seed. Nick or soak the seeds before sowing. Then direct sow into the garden or the final container in which they will grow, or start them indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last anticipated spring frost in your area. Expect germination to take a week or so. The 'Orchid Flame' Nasturtium plants need full sun for best flowering; they will grow in part shade, but the blooms will not be as numerous or large. Poor soil often works better than rich for promoting bloom strength.