Cerinthe (Honeywort) in Zone 8a & 8b
Cerinthe major
Yes, cerinthe (honeywort) grows in zones 8a and 8b. Start seeds indoors Feb 11–Feb 18 and plant out Mar 25–Apr 1.
When to plant cerinthe (honeywort) in zone 8b
Zones 8a and 8b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Either works.
| Start indoors | Feb 11–Feb 18 |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Mar 25–Apr 1 |
| Estimated bloom | Jun 8–Jun 15 (~75 days after planting) |
Spacing: 2 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-2 ft.
Plant alongside it in zone 8b
These go outside within two weeks of cerinthe (honeywort) in zone 8b, so one planting day can cover them.
- NasturtiumApr 1–Apr 8
- MarigoldApr 1–Apr 8
- African DaisyMar 25–Apr 1
- Amaranthus (Love-Lies-Bleeding)Mar 25–Apr 1
- Ammi (False Queen Anne's Lace)Mar 25–Apr 1
- Ammobium (Winged Everlasting)Mar 25–Apr 1
Cerinthe, commonly called honeywort, doesn't look like a typical cut flower. Its waxy, blue-purple bracts have an almost succulent texture, more sculptural than floral, which is exactly why it's grown.
How cerinthe (honeywort) fits zone 8's season
Zone 8b's frost-free window runs about 230 days, from March 25 to November 10. Cerinthe (honeywort) needs about 75 days from sowing to first bloom.
Cerinthe (Honeywort) planting windows in every zone
Zone 8b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2b | Apr 8–Apr 15 | May 20–May 27 | Aug 3–Aug 10 |
| 3a & 3b | Apr 18–Apr 25 | May 30–Jun 6 | Aug 13–Aug 20 |
| 4a & 4b | Apr 3–Apr 10 | May 15–May 22 | Jul 29–Aug 5 |
| 5a & 5b | Mar 29–Apr 5 | May 10–May 17 | Jul 24–Jul 31 |
| 6a & 6b | Mar 14–Mar 21 | Apr 25–May 2 | Jul 9–Jul 16 |
| 7a & 7b | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Apr 10–Apr 17 | Jun 24–Jul 1 |
| 8a & 8b (your zone) | Feb 11–Feb 18 | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Jun 8–Jun 15 |
| 9a & 9b | Jan 4–Jan 11 | Feb 15–Feb 22 | May 1–May 8 |
| 10a & 10b | Dec 19–Dec 26 | Jan 30–Feb 6 | Apr 15–Apr 22 |
| 11a & 11b | Nov 20–Nov 27 | Jan 1–Jan 8 | Mar 17–Mar 24 |
Bloom dates are about 75 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
No well-established companions for cerinthe (honeywort).
Where to buy cerinthe seeds
None of the seed suppliers we list carries cerinthe seeds right now. A local garden center or a specialty seed house is the place to look.
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing cerinthe (honeywort)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 8b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Cerinthe (Honeywort) in USDA zone 8b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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