Also called bride’s saddle, this spreading, semi-evergreen, tender perennial is a native of South Africa where it grows in damp places on grassy mountain slopes or in full sun in forest margins. It is a member of the figwort family, Scrophylariaceae, that also includes mullein, butterfly bush, and nemesia. Plants grow 1-2′ tall and have heart-shaped leaves that are sessile, thick-textured, and finely toothed. The two-spurred flowers appear in 6-8″ long racemes during the summer and vary from salmon-pink to rose with a deep rose throat. They attract honeybees and give way to a small dry capsule fruit containing many brown seeds. Stiff twinspur is a good choice for rock gardens, informal plantings, front of the border,container, wall, cottage and cutting gardens. Flowers last well in the vase. The genus name, Diascia, comes from the Greek di meaning two and askos meaning pouch, referring to the two sacs of the type species. The specific epithet, rigescens, comes from the Latin verb rigesco, meaning become stiff, and refers to the stem.
Type: Tender perennial
Bloom:Two-spurred flowers in 6-8″ long racemes, pink to rose with a deep rose throat during the summer
Size: 1-2′ H x 2′ W
Light: Full sun
Soil: Fertile, consistently moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
Hardiness: Zones 7-10; prefers cool climate and does poorly in heat and humidity.
Care: Pinch to encourage bushiness, deadhead to prolong bloom; shear back if plants get leggy
Pests and Diseases: None of significance although slugs and snails can be a problem
Propagation: Seed, softwood cuttings
Companion Plants: Bachelor buttons, English daisy, snapdragon
Outstanding Selections: ‘Forge Cottage’ (copper-pink flowers, young foliage speckled with yellow)
Karen Meyers