Florist's Cineraria (Pericallis cruenta): The Vibrant Winter Bloomer

Florist's cineraria is a popular cool-season annual or short-lived perennial with large, daisy-like flowers in intense shades of blue, purple, pink, red, and white, often with contrasting eyes. The foliage is lush, green, and slightly hairy. Native to the Canary Islands, Pericallis cruenta (syn. Senecio cruentus) blooms in late winter to spring.

Cool Season Culture

It requires cool temperatures (50-65°F) to bloom—ideal for greenhouses, cool sunrooms, or early spring gardens. Bright light, moist, well-drained soil. Discard after flowering or try to summer over in cool shade. Many seed strains exist.

Uses

Mass in beds for early color, use in containers, or as a flowering gift plant. The colors are exceptionally vivid. It's a traditional late-winter greenhouse crop.

Taxonomic Details