Downingia

Downingia - Charming little Californian half-hardy annuals, generally known as Clintonia. There are two species, D. pulchella and elegans. D. pulchella is of dwarf habit, rarely exceeding 6 inches in height, and is suitable for edging small beds or borders, as when covered with its bright blue flowers it is very pretty. In March and April the seed should be sown in the open ground in a free soil and an open situation; but if the plants are intended for pot culture, the sowing should be two months earlier. Each plant should be allowed quite 8 inches for development, and in hot weather those from the latest sowing should be well watered. The flowers of the several varieties of D. pulchella differ in color, the best variety being alba (white), rubra (red) and atro-purpurea (dark purple). All may be raised from seed.