Commonly known as the Satin flower, Godetia is an ornamental plant most suitable for indoors planting in pots or containers. Ninthtess, it can also be grown outdoors on the front porch or lawn.
Godetia is a member of the evening primrose family (Onagraceae), including the evening primrose flower (Oenothera) and Fuchsia. And you will mostly find this flowering plant in baskets hanging indoors or at the verandah of houses.
The Godetia flower blooms a cluster of trumpet-shaped pink, red, or salmon blossoms in late spring and blooms through the summer. And although they don’t have any mesmerizing fragrance, they can grab your attention with their beautiful appearance.
In the following article, we will be focusing on growing Godetia plants at home- both indoors and outdoor. Also, we will explore the different steps that can be undertaken towards caring for these plants.
And to begin with, let us take a look at some of the basic facts about these ornamental plants.
Essential Facts About Godetia Plants
from Pixabay
| Common name | Godetia, Satin flower, farewell-to-spring |
| Botanic name | Clarkia amoena; formerly, Godetia amoena |
| Native to | West Coast of North America |
| Bloom time | June to September |
| Family | Onagraceae |
| Plant type | Annual |
| Mature size | 2- 2.5 feet tall, with a spread of up to one foot |
| Soil type | Average to low moisture levels, well-drained |
| Exposure | Full sun to partial shade |
| Hardiness zone | Zones 3 to 7 |
| Flower color | White, lavender, pink, red, or salmon |
Origin of The Names
The plant got its name Godetia after a 19th-century Swiss botanist Charles Henry Godet, which was later changed to Clarkia in honor of William Clark. Afterward, it was again renamed Godetia amoena, which means beautiful or pleasing.
The Satin Flower is popular among the more familiar names because flower petals feel like crepe paper when touched. Also, Godetia is commonly known as Fairwell-to-spring because, in its native habitat, it blooms from June to August, signaling the end of spring and the start of summer.
Interesting right? Now, let us focus on the uses you have of Godetia Plants.
Uses for Godetia Plants
Godetia plants are ornamental and are commonly used for decorating the interiors.
- Grow this plant in a pot indoors or place it on porches, decks, and patios.
- Cut the stems of the plants and decorate them in vases.
- Make hanging flower baskets or tire planters.
- Plant Godetias at the edges of plants in flower borders
- Use Godetias as cut flowers.
Growing Conditions for Godetia
Before you actually proceed to plant Godetia, you must focus on preparing the environment for its optimal growth. Here, we have stated some necessities that you must keep in consideration before growing your plant.
#1. Location
To start with, let us understand the ideal location to grow Godetia Plants.
These plants grow wild throughout North America. This means no unique setups are required to plant Godetias but keep in mind to choose a clean and debris-free area to plant your plant. Also, the location should receive a lot of sunlight throughout the day.
#2. Sunlight
Now comes the sun exposure. Godetia plants love sunlight. That being said, if your garden is not humid prone, you can grow your plant in a bright sunny open area. But in case of high humidity, it is preferable to offer some shade to these plants.
#3. Soil
An upside of planting Godesia plants is that there is no need for any strict soil requirement. These plants can grow happily in almost all soil types. However, you can choose an area where the soil is less fertile, loose, and sandy with good drainage and air permeability.
#4. Temperature
As we stated above, these plants love sunlight. So, make sure that you choose a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day and maintains a temperature of 75°F or 25°C.
#5. Water
You can follow the watering system of any annual flowering plant in this case. Maintain a wet but not excessively saturated soil condition.
#6. Spacing
Spacing is essential when you are planning to grow more than one Godetia plant in your garden. The ideal spacing should be 4 x 4″, which can be increased or decreased depending on the number of plants you are planning to grow.
Steps Involved in Growing Godetia Plants
Here comes the central part of this article. Growing Godetia plants is not a complicated thing, and you can use Godetia seeds for it. All you need is to follow some basic steps, and you will be done with it.
You can directly sow the Godetia seeds in your garden, where you want them to grow. In this case, sow the seed after the last date of frost.
Or,
If you are a beginner, we suggest you initially germinate the seeds in a seed tray.
Growing Godetias from Seeds
- You can sow the seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date of your region.
- To germinate the seeds indoors, use a flat seed tray that is at least 5 cm deep.
- Make holes in the tray’s bottom, as the germination process does not tolerate stagnant water.
- Prepare a soil mixture by combining equal parts of peat, garden soil, and river sand. You can also add a solution of potassium permanganate to the mixture to prevent any fungal infections.
- Spread the seeds evenly on the pre-moistened soil. Ensure not to sow the seeds deeper than 1/16″ in the soil, as they need sunlight to germinate.
- (Note: before sowing the seeds, make sure to treat them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.)
- Sow the seeds at a spacing of 12″ to 18″.
- Sprinkle over with a small layer of peat (up to 0.5 cm) without pressing.
- Water the seeds with warm water at a regular interval.
- Cover the seeds with thin plastic paper and poke a few holes for air permeation.
- Place the germination tray in an area that receives bright but not harsh sunlight.
- After seedlings start to appear, you can transplant them to their final destination.
(Note: Transplanting Godetia seedlings can be a challenging task.)
Tips for Transplanting Godetia Seedlings:
- Godetia seedlings can be transplanted after two or three true leaves appear.
- Also, make sure to harden the plants for at least 2 weeks before transplanting them to the garden soil.
- Soak the pots in water before transplanting the seedlings.
- To facilitate the natural breakdown process, slice vertical ridges on the pot sides with a sharp knife.
- Place the entire pot in a damp hole in the garden bed, and fill it with soil.
- Water the newly planted seedlings thoroughly.
- Maintain the moisture level in the region until the plant looks to be establishing itself.
Spring Plantation
Godetia plants can be grown during the spring months. For spring planting of Godetia, you can choose May or early June.
Seedlings that have attained a height of 2 to 2.8 inches can be planted in open ground to avoid damaging the seedlings’ roots. The planting should be carried out in cloudy weather, early in the morning before sunrise or in the evening after sunset.
Also, the spacing between the seedlings should be 8- 10 inches minimum. This spacing can be changed as per the height of the plant- the taller the variant, the more space it would need.
Autumn Plantation
You can choose to plant these plants in the autumn season as well. However, the autumn planting of Godetia is suitable only for warmer regions.
Flower producers prefer to sow seeds directly into the ground to reduce losses during transplantation and pricking-out of seedlings. In addition, plants grown from seeds sown in late fall are more likely to adapt to their surroundings and show more resistance to diseases and pests.
Bonus Read: 5 Best Mars Hydro Grow Lights
Godetia Care
Watering
Godetia plants can die if there is a lack of watering to their roots. And although they also cannot stand soggy soil, you should water them regularly to keep the surrounding ground moist. Godetia plants should be watered with a bit of drizzle in the morning using a watering can.
Fertilizing
Since Godetia plants bloom better in undernourished soil, it is suggested not to use fertilizers with high nitrogen content. Other plants would get greener without bearing any flowers.
You can use a liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks, meant specially for flowering plants. Natural compost can also be used in the ground around the plant for occasional fertilization.
Pruning
It is always preferable to prune your plant around mid-summer and then again in early autumn for better flower production.
Deadheading
To extend the bloom and prevent self-sowing, deadhead wasted flowers.
Pest and Disease Control
Godetia is a tough plant that rarely succumbs to pests or diseases. However, that should not give you the impression that they are immune to all kinds of pests.
That being said, pests that can damage these flowering plants include:
- Mites
- Aphids
- Japanese beetles
- Powdery mildew
- Leaf spot
- Verticillium wilt
To get rid of aphids, you can spray the plant with soapy water for a couple of weeks. Then, if the issue persists, use an insecticide.
Varieties of Godetias
You can find three popular Godetia plants varieties in the market.
1. Godetia Amoena
This two-foot-tall cultivar produces big flowers with a width of 4-5 cm. Plant it in broad light, but keep it away from frost and high winds to safeguard its delicate buds.
2. Godetia Grandiflora
This variety is one of the most popular among gardeners for commercial cultivation. Godetia Grandiflora grows to a height of 20-30 cm and produces purple or pinkish blooms. They tolerate half-shade well but are not shade-loving flowers. Therefore, during hot summer days, remember to keep them out of direct sunlight.
3. Double Godetia
This is an unusual cultivar with white or rose-colored double blossoms. This variety grows1-1.5 m tall. Its seeds require frigid temperatures to germinate, and they can only grow in direct sunshine.
Summary
To wrap up, we can state that planting Godetias is not a challenging task but a rewarding one. These plants will grow in almost every weather condition and produce beautiful white to pink blossoms that will enhance the aesthetic value of your garden as well as indoors.
So, if you are a fan of flowering plants that are hassle-free to be grown, think of Godetia plants. You won’t be disappointed.