1 named cultivar

‘Giovanna's Select’Giovanna's Select Groundsel

perennial

Florist's Cineraria

The Story

Plant Bio

Senecio stellata, the florist's cineraria, is a soft mounding plant from the Canary Islands, a foot to eighteen inches high and as much across. Broad lance-shaped leaves, rough to the touch and toothed at the edges, sit below dense heads of daisy flowers in blue, violet, magenta or white, most with a contrasting dark eye.

It flowers in winter and early spring, which is when almost nothing else does, and it does that in shade rather than sun. Modern taxonomy places it as Pericallis x hybrida, so it appears under both names in the trade. Outside zones 9-11 it is grown as a seasonal pot plant and discarded, not overwintered.

Uses & Benefits:

Dense heads of daisy flowers in intense blues, violets and magentas with contrasting eyes.

Supplies colour indoors and under glass in the months when little else flowers.

Flowers offer nectar to early bees where it is grown outdoors in mild regions.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Perennial

Height

12 inches

Width

18 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun

Zones

9, 10

Water

Medium

Humidity

Average to high

Lifespan

Annual or short-lived perennial

Native To

Canary Islands

Toxicity

No significant toxicity reported

Planting

How to Grow

Grow in partial shade, out of direct midday sun.
Use a rich, free-draining compost high in organic matter.
Keep the compost evenly moist, never sodden.
Hold it cool, around 50-60F, to extend flowering.
Feed fortnightly with a balanced liquid feed in growth.
Deadhead spent heads to keep the display going.

Pro Tip

Keep it cool and shaded; warmth is what ends the display early, not lack of feed or water.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Grow it cool and out of direct sun ☁️
Water evenly before the compost dries 💧
Deadhead faded flower heads ✂️
Use it for winter colour under glass or indoors 💜

Don't

Stand it in a hot sunny window ❌
Let it sit in a saucer of water ❌
Expect it to survive frost outdoors ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Enjoy
Sow

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Containers and patio pots in shadeWinter and early spring colour indoorsShaded bedding in frost-free regions

Companion Plants

Primrose Cyclamen HeucheraFern Viola

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Florist's Cineraria questions

What zones can Florist's Cineraria grow in?

Florist's Cineraria is hardy in USDA Zones 9–10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Florist's Cineraria deer resistant?

Yes — Florist's Cineraria is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Florist's Cineraria bloom?

Florist's Cineraria typically blooms in winter to spring through late summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Florist's Cineraria need full sun?

Florist's Cineraria does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.

Is Florist's Cineraria drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Florist's Cineraria handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.