The Rare, Low-Water Bloom That's Perfect For Your Container Garden

If you're looking for something a bit more unusual to grow in your container garden this year, there's a rare flowering annual that has low water needs you might want to consider. This little beauty has stunning large blue to purple blooms with white and yellow centers. The hairy leaves are a bright green color, and the plant has succulent stems. It's commonly known as Chilean bellflower (Nolana paradoxa) and is ideal for filling your containers and hanging baskets with gorgeous blooms all summer long.

This rare plant is native to Chile and Peru, and you'll find that there's an attractive cultivar, usually sold in seed form, known as 'Blue Bird.' The flowers are a little reminiscent of petunias with their open trumpet shape and cheery, colorful centers, but don't be surprised when you see their size. It's common for these to be around 3 inches in diameter. Nolana has a trailing habit and grows only up to 10 inches tall. This makes it perfect for hanging planters because the sprawling stems can cascade down over the edges. 

It would also make a great "spiller" plant for large mixed containers as long as you pair it with similar drought-hardy species. Remember that the thriller, filler, and spiller method is the simple formula you should use when designing a container garden.

Due to this plant's succulent nature, make sure you use a free-draining mix. If you want to use a standard potting mix, you can add some sand or perlite to improve its drainage. Sow the seeds in early spring, but they should be no more than ⅛ inch deep, as they need a little light to germinate. These seeds can take anywhere from 7 to 14 days to sprout.

Once your plants are growing happily in their containers, they need minimal upkeep. If you're using a quality potting mix, fertilizing is not necessary. You do want to deadhead the spent blooms, as this will encourage many more flowers to grow. What is important for this species is to avoid overwatering and ensure your chosen container has adequate drainage. So even though the biggest problem with container gardening you should watch out for is the fact that the soil can dry out very quickly, you still want to treat your Nolana the same as any other succulent and allow the soil to dry in between waterings. 

It's also vital to position your plant in a sunny spot, as this will ensure plenty of flowers. While Nolana might not be on our list of the container plants perfect for your front porch, it is definitely a strong contender, especially if your porch gets lots of sunshine.