Nemesia: location, overwintering & toxicity of nemesia

Nemesia is a splendid flowering ornamental plant for garden and balcony. We’ll tell you everything about the nemesia, its properties, requirements for location and care, as well as details about sowing and planting.

Nemesia are among the most popular balcony plants and delight with their long-lasting flowering and the colour spectrum of the varieties. We profile the nemesia and give tips on planting and care.

Nemesia: flower, origin and characteristics

Nemesia belong to the snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae) and are therefore related to the butterfly bush (Buddleia) and the mullein (Verbascum). The genus nemesia contains more than 60 species, which are particularly native to sandy soils in southern Africa, from near the coast to inland. These are herbaceous to woody plants and small shrubs. Since only a few herbaceous nemesia species are cultivated in our latitudes, the following description of the characteristics applies exclusively to them.

Nemesia reach a height of about 20 to 50 cm. The lanceolate, often toothed leaves are opposite on the stem. When the nemesia flowers, countless blossoms appear from May to October, or even earlier if the plants are grown in advance. The nemesia flower sits singly or together in racemose flowerheads. It appears mirror-symmetrical with a two-lipped corolla, which has grown together at the base to form a tube, and is reminiscent of the flowers of the toadflax (Linaria). The lower lip is often much larger than the upper lip and forms a two-humped, bulging centre. The upper lip is smaller, but can also be radially divided. The colour spectrum covers every conceivable shade: The flowers can be monochrome, bicoloured or multicoloured. After pollination, two-piece capsule fruits form with numerous oval, brown seeds inside.

Is the nemesia perennial? Nemesia can be annuals to perennials, depending on the species, but they all require warmth and do not tolerate frosts. Wintering outdoors is therefore not possible.

Is nemesia bee-friendly? For bees and bumblebees, nemesia offer nectar in their trumpet-shaped flowers all summer long. This makes them one of the bee-friendly flowering plants.

The most beautiful varieties and species

Nemesia are popular summer flowering plants and through a lot of breeding work, new, even more colourful and flowering nemesia varieties are constantly being created. We present the most beautiful varieties for the balcony and garden.

Toothed nemesia (Nemesia denticulata)

The toothed nemesia is characterised by its petals that are slightly toothed and wavy at the edge. The plants reach a growth height and width of about 40 cm each. There are species in a wide variety of colours. The best-known variety series is ‘Confetti’ in delicate violet, pink or white.

Long-eared nemesia (Nemesia cheiranthus)

The long-eared nemesia has an upper lip formed into 4 long tips on each flower. It is often white in colour, while the rounder lower lip is more colourful. They are somewhat reminiscent in appearance of the flower of snapdragons (Antirrhinum), have a coconut fragrance and grow to about 30 cm high. Popular varieties include ‘Masquerade’ and ‘Shooting Stars’.

Cape jewels (Nemesia strumosa)

Nemesia strumosa is a vigorous, annual nemesia species that grows to an average height of 20 to 30 cm and the same width. The comparatively large flower of Nemesia strumosa appears in terminal panicles. Popular varieties include ‘Blue Gem’, ‘Red and White’ and ‘Prince of Orange’. Numerous hybrids have been produced together with Nemesia fruticans.

Nemesia hybrids (Nemesia strumosa x Nemesia fruticans)

There are countless varieties among the Nemesia hybrids that differ in flower colour, vigour, longevity and fragrance. Starting from a good cross, numerous varieties with different flower colours are selected by breeding institutes. These are often presented as a series of varieties – the best known are the Nemesia Sunsatia series with varieties in a wide range of colours and the newer Scentsatia series with a delicate, coconut-like fragrance. Below we present the most beautiful nemesia varieties among the hybrids.

• ‘Arancia’: The bicoloured nemesia from the Sunsatia series has bright red and orange-red flowers with a yellow centre and a small, purple corona.
• ‘Vanilla Berry’: This nemesia convinces with two-coloured flowers in creamy yellow and violet. The almond-scented variety was named “Plant of the Year in the North” in 2019.
• ‘Cherry on Ice’: The bicoloured variety shows white and cherry-red flowers. The nemesia Sunsatia ‘Cherry on Ice’ grows compactly.
• ‘Evening Dusk’: With its unusual colour combination of blue-violet and pink with a pale yellow centre, this nemesia delights.

• ‘Fairy Kisses Vanilla Berry’: This nemesia variety from the Scentsatia range has a coconut-like scent. The flowers are bicoloured in brilliant pink-purple and white with a yellow centre.
• ‘Fleurie Bleu’: This perennial, deep blue-purple variety with a white-yellow centre has a vigorous habit.
• ‘Heart of Gold’: From the fragrant Aroma series comes this bicoloured, perennial nemesia variety with wine-red and lemon yellow petals with a golden yellow centre.

• ‘Kiwano’: The large-flowered nemesia from the Sunsatia series with an orange-greenish hue got its name from its resemblance to the gourd plant kiwano, also known as horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus).
• ‘Little Banana’: This banana-yellow Nemesia with orange centre and purple corona is also from the Sunsatia series.
• ‘Snow Angel’: The nemesia ‘Snow Angel’ has a delicate fragrance and produces white flowers with a yellow centre.
• ‘Strawberry’: This nemesia from the Sunsatia series shows single-coloured flowers in rich strawberry red and reaches up to 30 cm in height.

Planting nemesia: Location and more

Nemesia are sensitive to cold as well as extreme, standing heat and they also do not feel comfortable in damp areas. The best location for nemesia is therefore warm, sunny and sheltered in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil.

Nemesias are popular summer bloomers for patio and balcony, they even thrive in hanging baskets due to their low growth. A plant trough or balcony box with nemesia attracts numerous insects. Nemesia is ideally suited as a ground cover for summer in perennial or woody borders. Planting distance should be 20-30 cm from other plants. Since nemesia do not tolerate waterlogging, each planter should not only be large enough for the number of plants planted, but also have good water drainage. For flowering ornamental plants we recommend our Plantura Organic Flower Compost. The completely peat-free substrate is pre-fertilised and therefore has a small nutrient supply that optimally feeds the nemesia plants in the initial period after planting. The high compost content of our soils also enables them to store moisture effectively and release it to the plant roots when needed.

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Nemesias are available from April in many nurseries and garden centres, the hybrid varieties are available there as already flowering plants. The species Nemesia strumosa and the long-eared nemesia, on the other hand, are also available as seeds. To grow even small nemesia plants, you should proceed as follows with the seeds of the nemesia.

Sowing nemesia at a glance:

• Sow indoors from March to April in nutrient-poor growing soil, alternatively sow outdoors from mid-April to May.
• Light germination: Spread seeds loosely and cover with substrate no thicker than velvet.
• Keep seeds well moist, keep humidity high with transparent cover
• Germination at 15 -18 °C, sufficient light and humidity after 10 -21 days.
• Prick out from the 2nd pair of leaves in more nutrient-rich potting compost
• Cultivate in a cool place at 12 °C from mid-May until planting.

Caring for nemesia

Essential measures in the care of Nemesia are regular watering and fertilisation. As with many continuously flowering ornamental plants, the nemesia’s nutrient requirements are high. Between May and September, an organic liquid fertiliser such as our Plantura Liquid Flower Food provides the bee-friendly nemesia with the important nutrients nitrogen and potassium. It can simply be added to the watering water about once a week and reaches the plant roots directly when watering. Even acute nutrient deficiencies can be remedied in this way.

Liquid Flower Food, 800ml

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• Liquid fertiliser for a lush blossom throughout the season
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Otherwise, there is little to consider when caring for nemesia. Modern hybrid varieties shed their own flowers and rarely need to be pruned out. This is often not the case with varieties grown from seed, so you should prune the nemesia. After flowering, a strong pruning promotes the formation of a second flowering phase in late summer.

Is the nemesia hardy?

Nemesias are not hardy, even light frosts will cause the plant, which comes from southern Africa, to die. Theoretically, it is possible to overwinter at least the perennial hybrids of the nemesia. For this purpose, the nemesia should be cut back vigorously and placed in a frost-free location at about 5 °C with only a few waterings. Often, however, summer flowering plants do not survive the cool and damp winter quarters well and suffer from diseases or pests. Growing a new plant from seed or buying a fresh nemesia in spring is more worthwhile than trying to overwinter the old plant successfully. It usually also does worse in flowering and vigour in the second year.

Is the nemesia poisonous?

Nemesia are not poisonous and can therefore be planted near pets or children without hesitation.

African daisies (Osteospermum) are also native to southern Africa and can grow into dense, colourful flowering bushes. We present the popular flowering plant and give tips on planting and care.