Japanese name: クロホオズキ（黒酸漿、黒鬼灯） Scientific name:Nicandra physalodes cvs.
[Overview]
A cultivar of Oosennari (Nicandra physalodes), a collective name for several cultivars such as 'Black Pod' and 'Violacea'.
An annual growing to about 1 m tall.
The stems branch well, are tinged blackish purple, and grow upright.
Leaves are simple and alternate, ovate to oblong, with shallowly cut margins.
The leaves have sparse small black prickles.
Flowers are solitary in the leaf axils and form a shallow cup 3–3.5 cm across.
The flowers are pale blue with a blackish purple blotch in the center.
The calyx has blackish purple spots.
The fruit is a dry berry, enclosed by the developed blackish purple calyx.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It also multiplies readily from self-sown seed.
The optimum germination temperature is 12°C.
It grows well in any soil as long as the site is sunny and well drained.
Water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
Fertilizer is not particularly necessary.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
