Japanese name: 小町りんどう Scientific name:Centaurium chloodes
[Overview]
A short-lived evergreen perennial about 5–10 cm tall.
The stems branch well and form a dense mound.
The leaves are simple and opposite, with entire margins.
The flowers grow at the stem tips and in the leaf axils, about 1.5 cm across, with a 5-lobed corolla in deep pink.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It also multiplies well from self-sown seed.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, somewhat dry places and grows well regardless of soil type.
It is easy to grow, but it is somewhat susceptible to heat and humidity, so it is safer to place it in a cool, airy spot in partial shade in summer.
Its cold tolerance is not very strong, so protection from the cold is needed in regions where temperatures fall to –5°C or below in winter.
Water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
In spring and autumn, either place slow-release fertilizer on the soil or apply liquid fertilizer about twice a month.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
Watch for root rot during hot, humid periods.
