Dwarf Godetia Seeds

Godetia or Clarkia is an annual native wildflower that is easy to grow in the garden. We fell in love with it from a wildflower mix and it was easily the happiest growing and most bountiful bloomer of the whole mix! Frilly, cup-shaped flowers are a dainty mix of pink and white petals that attract beneficial insects. They are later bloomers, earning the common name, Farewell to Spring.

Plants reseed easily and will need little irrigation once established. Great for beds, borders, and wildflower gardens.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Like many flowers Godetia or Clarkia can be planted in the fall or the spring in Zones 9 and 10 if your area has mild winters. If planted in the fall, start the seeds in pots to plant out when cooler weather arrives in late October or early November. Fall-planted flowers have more time to grow in the soil, resulting in larger root zones and more blooms in the spring. If your area has frosts, start seeds in pots and transplant them out in the spring. 
• Seeds can be direct sown if the soil can be kept moist the whole time during germination and initial growing phases.
• For areas with extreme heat, plant Godetia or Clarkia in the fall, as it enjoys cooler weather during bloom periods and will putter out in the hottest part of the summer. You can also experiment with growing in containers and moving them to partial shade during extreme heat.

Zones 3-8

• Start 4 weeks before the last frost indoors. Transplant out after the danger of frost is gone.

 Planting Godetia or Clarkia Seeds

• Godetia or Clarkia seeds are smaller and do not require deep planting. Make sure when planting the seeds that you cover them with finely sifted soil. Covering seeds with heavy soil with rocks, mulch or large seed particles will inhibit sprouting.

Growing Godetia or Clarkia in Containers

• Godetia or Clarkia does great in containers especially mixed with other plants like alyssum or nasturtium. Plant in a pot at least 10” for best results and check often as pots dry out quicker than in ground plantings.

Southern California Pro-tips

Godetia or Clarkia is a great cool-season flower for containers, wildflower areas or mixed in with vegetables.

Companion Flowers/ Crops

• Best grown with other California native flowers like poppies, yarrow, and lupine. Search all our flower varieties here.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!