How to Grow Velvet Groundsel

Roldana petasitis, also known as velvet groundsel or California geranium, is a fast-growing, broadleaf, evergreen shrub with large, green leaves and deep burgundy flower buds that open to bright yellow, daisy-like flowers from late winter through spring. Velvet groundsel grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, where it can grow up to 10 feet tall with an equal spread. Velvet groundsel is an attractive, low-maintenance addition to warm-climate gardens and home landscapes.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Peat moss
• Leaf mold
• Composted pine bark
• Garden hose
• Water-soluble fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Select a planting site with full sun exposure; velvet groundsel blooms most prolifically in locations that get direct sunlight for six or more hours per day. Work 3 inches peat moss, 2 inches leaf mold and 1 inch composted pine bark into the top 6 inches of soil. Plant velvet groundsel at the same depth it grew in its nursery container.

2. Water velvet groundsel weekly during the spring and summer months; though velvet groundsel is drought-tolerant once established, it performs best with regular supplemental irrigation. Provide velvet groundsel with 1 inch of water per week to keep the soil evenly moistened.

3. Fertilize velvet groundsel each year in late winter or early spring, at the beginning of their growing and blooming season. Feed velvet groundsel with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer when the buds on the plant begin to swell. Apply fertilizer products according to the directions on the packaging.

4. Prune velvet groundsel after it completes its blooming cycle to encourage another round of blossoming. Use sharpened and sterilized pruning shears to cut the plant's stems back to half their length; make clean, 45-degree cuts back to healthy leaf nodes.

Tips & Warnings

• Velvet groundsel has very few serious pests. If you plant is troubled by aphids, rinse the pests from the plant with a directed stream of water.

• Due to its vigorous growth, velvet groundsel is considered an invasive species in some parts of the United States. Invasive species can escape cultivation and crowd out native plants. Consult your local agricultural extension service before planting velvet groundsel in your garden or home landscape.

References

• "The Essential Garden"; Liz Dobbs; 2002
• Auckland Council: Velvet Groundsel
• San Marco Growers: Roldana Petasitis

Resources

• Top Tropicals: Roldana Petasitis