The Metels seem to have erratic germination rates and like other dats do best when directly sown. Unfortunately in my zone if I wait to directly sow them I don't always have a long enough growing season. Save some seed for direct sowing too. They'll do great in your zone.

They need full sun and don't require nearly as much water as brugs. I also don't feed them nearly as frequently as brugs. They are a pretty carefree plant once established.

I grow them as annuals but in frost free climates they are perennial. Cuttings don't easily root like brugs. Actually I've never even bothered taking cuttings since they'll reach maturity in a single growing season from seed.

Stick the seeds directly in the ground, you get better germination that way, as soon as you can. Full sun. Just treat them like the natives, ignore them. Our triple purple is about 8' tall! Still covered with blooms but they got a little nipped in last cold front. They live 2-3 years on average.
Tally HO!

Nice blog and nice plants. You will find blogging to be very therapeutic. I have been blogging for a while now.

Thanks for the info! I guess they like some neglect. I will be crossing my fingers with these seeds that I already sowed, and will be sowing the remainder in the ground as soon as it's warm enough.

Beachplant, wow! 8' tall?! that's amazing. I believe your area (coastal) stays free of frost, as opposed to mine, which is frost prone in the winter. Some years it's less, and some years it's more. My bougainvilleas remain evergreen some years, and some years, they lose all of their leaves (like this year ). Last year, my bougies were in full bloom at Christmas time, not so this year :(

Wickedwitch, you are right! it's nice to be able to write down your thoughts. I would like a link to your blog, that way I could follow you if that's ok.

Karyn, is it possible to grow them in containers? I have some wine-barrel halves with an Octopus Agave in each, and also some containers with Yucca Guatemalensis. They would look amazing with daturas filling in and hanging over the edges.

Josh

Josh, thanks for providing your blog! Very interesting including all those others you list in it. I thoroughly enjoyed looking at everyone's.

I've grown several in containers and they do fine. It's just the germination thing. The metels especially do better when directly sown. In your zone I'd start them in containers outside. I've wintered over a Black Currant Swirl by mistake and it did quite well semi dormant in a minimally heated greenhouse. Somehow it got mixed up with some other plants that were cut back and stored for the winter and just kept above freezing.

There's a few yellow and purple metel varieties in sunken containers at the local conservatory that are about 4' tall and twice as wide that are spectacular. They start them from seed each year but they fertilize the heck out of them and keep them well watered. I tried that one year and didn't get the same results to say the least. lol

They will like full shade where you live and plenty of water and fertilizer. You should be able to get them at least to 5 feet, I can do that here in Indiana over the summer. Even here, they seem to like partial shade best. They transplant well as long as you don't disturb the roots too much. They do great in containers, especially large ones near a patio for the excellent scent they provide at night.