Isotoma axillaris Starshine Blue - Rock Isotome coated seeds

Laurentia 'Starshine Blue' is a half-hardy perennial grown as an annual for flower pots, window boxes, hanging baskets and seasonal borders. This F1 hybrid is distinguished by a naturally compact, highly branched habit and excellent floriferousness. The plant disappears beneath a multitude of small lavender-blue stars all summer long and well into the next season. Grown from coated seeds, the young plants establish quickly and form a neat cushion in just a few months, perfect for pairing with other summer annuals.

Botanically speaking, 'Starshine Blue' is derived from the species Lithotoma axillaris, formerly Isotoma axillaris, of the Campanulaceae family. In the wild, this plant is a low, bushy perennial native to eastern Australia, where it grows in crevices, on rocky slopes and near water sources, in poor but moist soils. This species does not tolerate severe frosts. In our climate, it is sown each year and treated as an annual. 
'Starshine Blue' belongs to the professional Starshine series, developed for pot cultivation: as an F1 hybrid, it offers excellent uniformity, early flowering, good heat resistance and has received a Fleuroselect award. This cultivar has been present in seed catalogues since at least 2007. Each plant forms a dense, rounded cushion, 20 to 25cm tall and 20 to 30cm wide. The numerous, fine stems branch from the base. The medium to dark green foliage is very finely cut: the narrow, deeply lobed leaves give the clump a light, airy appearance. Flowering begins in late spring, in May-June depending on sowing date, and continues until the first frosts. Small star-shaped, 2 to 3cm diameter flowers emerge from the leaf axils. Each corolla has five very elongated lobes, in a lavender blue with violet undertones, paler towards the centre. The nectar-rich flowers are lightly scented and loved by bees and butterflies. They are followed by small capsules containing a multitude of tiny seeds.

Laurentia 'Starshine Blue' is a generous and easy-to-grow plant. It can be planted en masse in borders and flower beds, or used to fill gaps. It is also an excellent variety for pots, hanging baskets and other containers. Isotoma pairs well with many annual plants: begonias, petunias and surfinias, annual lobelias and nemesias in particular. Isotoma 'Beth's Blue', with its mauve flowers, creates very soft harmonies with this 'Starshine Blue' variety in containers. In a large basket, it can be paired with petunia 'Night Sky', with its large violet corollas speckled with white spots.