Slipper Flower (Pocketbook Plant, Slipperwort)
Calceolaria species and hybrids. SCROPHULARIACEAE.
Planting and Growing Slipper Flower
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow slipper flower in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of slipper flower
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for slipper flower
- Season of bloom and planting time for slipper flower
- When, how deep, and where to plant slipper flower
- How to plant slipper flower
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of slipper flower
- Landscape and container uses of slipper flower
- Comments about slipper flower and its features
Growing Slipper Flower
About 500 species of branching, shrublike, deciduous perennial herbs, 6–72 in. (15–180 cm) tall, depending on species and cultivar. Heavily textured, deep green, oval, pointed, toothed leaves, to 3 in. (75 mm) long.
Common cultivars include florist’s calceolaria, Calceolaria herbeohybrida, and Calceolaria integrifolia, a landscape plant.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Many bronze, maroon, pink, red, yellow, pouchlike flowers, 1/2–1-in. (12–25-mm) long, often with green or purple markings, in open clusters, in spring– early summer.
Best Climates
Tender. Plant as annual, zones 2–7; ground-hardy, zones 8–10.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich–average. 7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full to filtered sun, 6–12 in. (15–30 cm) apart, after frost hazard has passed. Start seed indoors 12 weeks before final frost, zones 2–7, transplant to garden when soil warms.
Proper Care
Moderate. Keep damp; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Fertilize monthly. Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for hanging baskets, beds, borders, containers in country, shade, woodland gardens. Spider mite susceptible.