• Pretty edible flowers
• Self-seeding
• Easy to grow
• Great for pots

There are many members of this pretty family worldwide and also many cultivated varieties that can be bought at as winter and summer bedding plants. With its white, yellow and purple flowers it is sometimes called the trinity herb and, in some countries, has some religious significance. It is a joy to see this happy little annual pop up in the garden.

Plant Care

• Height: 10-30cm
• Type: Hardy
• Aspect: Sun
• Soil: Any/alkaline
• Flower colour: Yellow, purple and white
• Flowering period: May – August

Although hardy, heartsease is an annual herb that produces small brown seed pods after each flower dies, which pop open once dry broadcasting seed onto the soil to germinate the following spring. The flowering period of heartsease can be extended by pinching off the dying flowers as an annual herb its prime objective is to produce seed for future generations and so it will continue to produce flowers until this happens. It grows well in both the garden and pots and is a great colour filler around more established evergreen herbs.

Usage

The leaves and the flowers of heartsease are edible and can be added to salads. The flowers especially make a very pretty garnish or floating edition to summer drinks; they look particularly stunning frozen into ice cubes.
It is traditionally used in creams for cooling and gently healing skin complaints such as eczema and acne. It can e made into a tea to help with urinary disorders and to help with bronchitis and coughs.