Linaria

Linaria (Linaria maroccana) is a cool-weather annual with small, snapdragon-like flowers. It is native to Morocco. It is an upright annual with narrow, linear leaves and flowers in summer in shades of pink, purple or white. Cultivars come in lavender, yellow, orange, pink, red and white, often with contrasting blotches on the lower lip.

Sowing. Sow the seed directly where the plants will grow, in early spring. For a fall bloom, you can sow in late summer instead. Site and soil. Choose a spot in full sun with moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is preferably sandy. The plant does best in consistently moist, humusy to sandy-loam soil. Size. Mature plants reach about 9 to 18 inches (23 to 46 cm) tall and 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) wide.

Shade and heat. The plant tends to fade in hot summer weather, but afternoon shade can encourage summer blossoms. Deadheading and pruning. Cutting the plant back after its first flowering can encourage more blooms. A UK profile instead advises cutting back after flowering to prevent self-seeding.

Pests and disease. Watch for aphids and powdery mildew. Both aphids and powdery mildew are listed as possible problems in a UK profile. Heat and self-seeding. The plant stops blooming in the heat of summer. It can self-seed when growing conditions are good.