DESCRIPTION: These are hardy annuals that are mostly natives of California and western North America. They belong to the Snapdragon family, Scrophulariaceae. They grow about a foot high and bear whorls of pretty flowers ranging in color from white through lilac and rose to violet and blue. They flower in the summer when they're outside and are nice for edging beds and borders. They can be grown in pots in the greenhouse and will bloom in early spring. The most popular kind is Collinsia bicolor, which has lilac and white flowers and its variety, candidissima, which has white flowers. Salmon Beauty has very pretty flowers colored salmon-rose. C. grandiflora carminea has very large, reddish-violet flowers. C. verna, Blue-Eyed Mary, is great for the wild garden.
POTTING: These plants will flourish in any good garden soil. They will not do well outside where the summer heat is great.
PROPAGATION: Seeds can be sown in September for spring and early summer blooming in the greenhouse. They can be sown in March or April, outdoors, in the place where they are to bloom in the summer. The seedlings should be thinned out early to about 3 inches apart.
VARIETIES: C. bicolor and its variety candidissima; Salmon Beauty; C. grandiflora carminea; C. verna.