[Overview]
Mostly biennials or perennials, rarely annuals or subshrubs.
The leaves include basal leaves and stem leaves; the basal leaves form a rosette and remain at flowering time.
The leaves on the stem are simple and alternate.
A raceme or spike is produced at the stem tip.
The corolla is 5-lobed, and the flower colors are yellow, orange, pink, purple, white and so on.
There are 5 stamens.
The fruit is a spherical capsule containing many minute seeds.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It has a taproot and dislikes being transplanted, so sow directly where it will be planted, or sow in plastic pots and then plant out.
It prefers a sunny, airy, well-drained place.
Take care not to let it become too wet when watering; for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless sunny weather continues in summer and the soil becomes severely dry.
If plenty of base fertilizer is applied, no further fertilizer is particularly needed.
Damping-off and pyralid moths can occur.
