How to Germinate Blue Shrimp Plant Seeds

The blue shrimp plant (Cerinthe Major Purpurascens) is also referred to as Pride of Gibraltar, Honeywort, and wax flower. It is indigenous to the regions of the Mediterranean. It is hardy in the USDA zones 7 to 10. The blue shrimp plant is revered for its unusual gray-green foliage and its tubular 1-inch long flowers that change color as the plant matures (green to purple to blue). The leaves of the blue shrimp plant are also known to change color, depending on the temperature. The blue shrimp plant can grow between 16 and 24 inches tall. Grow the blue shrimp plant in full sun to partial shade, and provide it fertile, loamy soil.

Blue shrimp plant seeds

Seed-starting compost

4-inch pots

Watering tray

Plastic wrap, sheet of glass or polyethylene bag

Place blue shrimp plant seeds into a bowl of water and let them soak for 24 hours. Fill 4-inch pots to about 1/2 inch from the rim with a good quality seed-starting compost. Tamp down the soil in each of the pots until it is well packed down.

Pour 1 to 2 inches of water into the irrigation tray. Set the 4 inch pots into the watering tray to allow them to soak up the water. Once the soil in the pots appears visibly moist, pour out the extra water.

Remove the blue shrimp plant seeds from the bowl of water. Poke 3/4 inch deep holes into each of the 4-inch pots. Drop 1 or 2 of the blue shrimp plant seeds into each of the holes. Scatter seed-starting compost over the seeds to a depth of about 3/4 inches.

Place the entire tray into a polyethylene bag, or cover with plastic wrap or a sheet of glass. Put the tray where it will remain between 65 and 70 degrees F. Keep the tray out of direct sunlight, but make sure it gets about 8 to 10 hours of light per day.

Remove the plastic wrap, the sheet of glass or the polyethylene bag, whichever one you have used, from the tray once the seeds emerge. Germination for blue shrimp plant seeds is anywhere from 7 to 21 days. Maintain the light and warm temperatures. Add water to the tray to keep the soil in the 4-inch pots moist, but not sodden wet.

Transplant your blue shrimp plant seedlings outside once they have grown to about 4 to 6 inches in height.

When seedlings have grown to about 3 to 4 inches in height, start fertilizing them every two weeks with a complete, liquid-based, balanced fertilizer, such as 12-12-12. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the label as to how much fertilizer to use per quart, or gallon of water.

When planting your blue shrimp plant seedlings in your garden, make sure to space the plants so they are 8 to 12 inches apart.

Use care when transplanting your blue shrimp plant seedlings, since they do not like to have their roots overly disturbed.

Make sure there is no more frost expected in your growing region before you transplant your blue shrimp plant seedlings outside.