The Nemesias are among the showiest of garden plants. Planted in drifts in gardens they give lots of flower right through the late winter and spring. Flowering is later in cooler areas. In districts where the humidity and temperature is high they do well grown in pots for the outdoor room.
Colour brightens up all our lives, when we are down it gives a lift to the spirits. The flowering of Nemesias is easy, with little trouble one can brighten up garden corners, sunny borders and put potted flowering plants on balconies and decks. Some protection from high wind is indeed needed but one can always find that sheltered corner that needs colour.
All plants that flower this heavily need some attention to give the longest flowering time possible. We find that Nemesias benefit from pruning. When the flower bearing stems start to bend over because they are so long, we prune them back to the green shoot area at the base of the flower spike. Within two weeks the first colour is again appearing. Planting into gardens where soil is in good tilth and compost has been added gives best results. In pots use the best quality potting media you can buy, add some slow release fertilizer at potting, keep moist but not over wet and watch the results.
The only pests we have seen are an odd caterpillar and occasional aphis. Both can be squashed between the fingers or similar.
All Nemesias originate in Africa. Nemesia fruiticans from whence the Karoos are bred are from South Africa and as the name suggests they come from the Karoo, the high plain around Johannesburg and Pretoria. There are annual and perennial forms.Flowers borne in terminal bunches.