Maltese Cross Seeds

• HOW TO GROW
• FAST FACTS
• REVIEWS

Sowing: Direct sow in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked; press lightly into the surface of the soil, since this seed needs light to germinate. Keep the soil consistently moist until germination, which usually takes 2-3 weeks. To start indoors, plant the seed in germination flats 6-8 weeks before the last frost of spring. Keep the soil moist, and transplant the seedlings as soon as they can safely be handled.

Growing: Keep the plants well watered and remove weeds. This plant needs consistent moisture, though it does not grow well in soggy soil. For more blooms, cut back by one third after the first blooms have finished. These long-lived plants can spread in favorable growing conditions, and mature plants can be divided in spring or fall. These blossoms attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Harvesting: For cut flowers, choose stems with flowers that have just opened. Strip the foliage that will fall below the water level, and place in water immediately.

Seed Saving: After the flowers fade, clusters of papery pods will form that eventually open at the top and release their seed. Gather the ripe seed as soon as the pods open to prevent loss. Store the seed in a cool, dry place.

Common Names: Jerusalem Cross

Latin Name: Lychnis chalcedonica

Species Origin: Introduced US Wildflower

Type: Garden Flowers

Life Cycle: Perennial

USDA Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

US Regions: California, Mountain, Arid/Desert, Plains/Texas, Midwest, Northern, Northeast, Southeast

Seeds per Ounce: 62,000

Stratification: No Stratification

Germination Ease: No Stratification

Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun

Height: 30 Inches

Color: Pink, Red

Bloom Season: Blooms Late Summer, Blooms Early Fall

Uses: Deer Resistant