Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Pericallis hybrida

Other names

Florist's Cineraria

Family

Asteraceae

Flowering season

April to July

English distribution

It is found in the Scillies and mainland Cornwall, and parts

of the Midlands

See the BSBI distribution map for Cineraria

Habitat

It is a neophyte, which was first cultivated in England in

the 1770s as a hybrid between 2 plants from the

Canaries, Pericallis cruenta and P. Lanata.

It is widely grown indoors throughout the country and

outdoors in the South, from where it has escaped and

become naturalised in frost-free areas,

The naturalised escape grows on waste and open

ground, by pathways, in churchards and on walls.

Description

Cineraria is a perennial, colourful herb, growing up

to 80cm. 

The flowers are in daisy-like flowerheads, up to 4cm across

and in large flat-topped clusters.

The ray florets are in a variety of colours - pink, blue,

white, red and purple.

The disc florets are darker.

Leaves are palmate and up to 20cm.

The stems are erect, branched and hairy

Cineraria is poisonous. It contains alkaloids, which can

damage the liver, kidneys, heart, brain, muscles and

lungs.