Nemesia
Nemesia strumosa
Also listed as Antirrhinum strumosum
Also known as Cape-jewels, Jewel Lionface, Pouch Nemesia
Climate Match for your location
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Cape Jewels is a showy annual or tender perennial with vibrant, orchid-like flowers in jewel tones—reds, oranges, yellows, and purples—borne on compact mounding plants. It thrives in full sun and provides continuous color from late spring through fall.
Why grow it
Nemesia offers intense, jewel-toned flower color in a compact mounding habit, making it useful for edging and container plantings where continuous season-long bloom is desired. Unlike taller snapdragons or linarias, its low-growing form requires minimal staking and fills small spaces efficiently. The orchid-like flower form attracts pollinators while providing visual interest from late spring through frost.
Watch out for
Nemesia performs best in cooler weather and may slow or cease flowering during hot, humid summers in continental or southern zones, requiring afternoon shade in those regions. The plant's preference for consistent moisture means it will decline quickly if soil dries out completely, particularly in containers. Seedlings are slow to establish and benefit from early pinching to encourage bushier growth.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
Native Range
South Africa
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
pH Range
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Cape Jewels is a showy annual or tender perennial with vibrant, orchid-like flowers in jewel tones—reds, oranges, yellows, and purples—borne on compact mounding plants. It thrives in full sun and provides continuous color from late spring through fall.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Nemesia grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Nemesia offers intense, jewel-toned flower color in a compact mounding habit, making it useful for edging and container plantings where continuous season-long bloom is desired. Unlike taller snapdragons or linarias, its low-growing form requires minimal staking and fills small spaces efficiently. The orchid-like flower form attracts pollinators while providing visual interest from late spring through frost.
Watch out for
Nemesia performs best in cooler weather and may slow or cease flowering during hot, humid summers in continental or southern zones, requiring afternoon shade in those regions. The plant's preference for consistent moisture means it will decline quickly if soil dries out completely, particularly in containers. Seedlings are slow to establish and benefit from early pinching to encourage bushier growth.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
Native Range
South Africa
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
pH Range
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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