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Cephalaria Gigantea

Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,133
in Plants
I have grown some Cephalaria Gigantea plants from seed and wondered if anyone had grown it and knew if it was possibly a bit of a thug or invasive, before I plant anymore out in the open soil.
I put one plant in the garden last year and was really pleased with the airy growth and height. The flower  buds are a lovely soft infused pale pink, green and cream combination before opening fully. The single plant has survived the winter and is already making new growth but I will have to stake it this year, something I failed to do last year.
I have several more small plants in pots but didn't want to fill my garden with another invasive inhabitant. I have my fill of rape seed, forget me nots, lobelia etc.
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  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,354
    I've had one for several years and it has been perfectly well behaved, survived all our bad weather and no seedlings, though I would have quite liked some. It does need staking, but that is quite normal for here.
    My only issue is that I want to put it somewhere else and I suspect it will have a long taproot, so I hope I will succeed in moving it safely.
  • carletonexoticcarletonexotic Posts: 83
    I sowed these and planted them out last year (after seeing them featured on GW). They didn't flower for me but have already survived the winter and put on good growth this year.
    An exotic jungle garden in West Yorkshire: instagram.com/greatnorthernexotic / youtube.com/@greatnorthernexotic
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,106
    edited 6 March
    I grew some quite a few years ago and they weren't at all invasive, in fact I think there are only one or two left.
    Mind you, forget-me-nots aren't invasive here either. They seed around all over but are easy to remove, not deep-rooted or spreading underground. Maybe it's the dry soil keeps things in check.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,133
    I have just checked my plant, there is a healthy clump of foliage at the base and several useful looking, potential new plants growing along the length of the stem. Why are the plants so expensive to buy when they are so easy to grow from seed I wonder? £20.00 plus, postage, materials etc. I suppose 
    I am going to plant a clump alongside or mixed in with Viburnum bonariensis to create an airy wafting cloud! Hopefully. 
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 798
    I grew some from seed last year and have about a dozen plants to pop in somewhere. I'm sure I read a thread on here last year when I was going to plant them that said they were real thugs and enormous plants, which put my off a little and made me plant half of them down the allotment.  
  • AsarumAsarum Posts: 599
    In a garden I used to work in there was a huge clump which seeded it's self around copiously.  It was on a clay soil and quite damp, so grew well and had probably been there for years.
    East Anglia
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,106
    They are large (the "gigantea" in the name is a clue) but not thuggy or invasive. The RHS says height 1.5 to 2.5m, spread 0.5 to 1m. Here they only get to the lower end of that (or a bit smaller), I think because of the dry-ish climate and sandy soil. I expect they get bigger on richer, moister soils. Just make sure you give them enough space to do their thing.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • WhiteRabbitWhiteRabbit Posts: 42
    I've had a few 7'-8' tall clumps of these for many years, and they've not spread or been troublesome  in any way.  Peaty, stony damp soil in full sun -  they seem to like it.  They don't appear to be fussy. 
    Some people have reported them being invasive, so best keep an eye out for unwanted seedlings popping up and deal with them straight away.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,039
    edited 6 March
    Buttercupdays said:
    I've had one for several years and it has been perfectly well behaved, survived all our bad weather and no seedlings, though I would have quite liked some. It does need staking, but that is quite normal for here.
    My only issue is that I want to put it somewhere else and I suspect it will have a long taproot, so I hope I will succeed in moving it safely.

     They transplant fine, in my experience. If you have a taproot with a bit of crown, it will grow. I suspect any thick roots left in place will probably also regenerate into new plants.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,354
    @Loxley, that's good to know! The plant is fine where it is, but it is languishing in a holding area from a few years ago, when life got in the way of things, and I want to place it somewhere better where I can enjoy it properly :)
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