Grow dusty miller in full sun and soil that drains. Treat it as an annual where winters freeze. The tag may say Senecio cineraria or Jacobaea maritima. Florist cineraria is a different plant.
Give it full sun, soil that drains, and treat it as an annual where winters freeze
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Full sun for the brightest silver | Do not set it in deep shade that stretches the stems and greens the leaves |
| Soil | Average soil that drains. It tolerates poor, dry ground once set | Do not plant it in a low clay pocket that stays wet |
| Water | Water to establish, then water when the soil is dry | Do not pour on a calendar on a plant that is already wilted from wet roots |
| Winter | Treat it as an annual where winters freeze. It may hold in a mild winter | Do not count on it as a hardy shrub in a cold bed |
| Bloom | Pinch the yellow daisies if you want the silver leaves | Do not let it go to seed when the mound is the point |
Dusty miller is a silver, woolly mound grown for foliage. Full sun and drain keep the leaves bright. Once it is set, it takes heat and dry spells. [1] Where winters freeze, most gardeners plant a new pack each spring. [2]
- Set it in full sun. Shade makes the mound leggy and the silver dull.
- Use soil that drains. A raised bed or a pot with a hole beats a low wet spot.
- Water after you plant, then wait until the soil is dry. Do not keep it soggy.
- Pinch yellow daisies so the silver leaves stay the point.
- Replace the plant after a hard winter, or take tip cuttings under glass if you want to hold a named kind.
Is dusty miller a perennial?
It is a tender perennial in a mild winter, and an annual where winters freeze. Most people buy a new pack each spring.
Does dusty miller need full sun?
Yes, for the brightest silver. It will live in part shade, but the mound stretches and the leaves green out.
Angel Wings is another silver Senecio on this outdoor job, not a hanging bead plant. Hanging string of pearls is How to Grow String of Pearls. The hanging pot for those strands is String of Pearls in Pots.
Set plants out after frost, about a foot apart
Plant a six-pack after the last frost, in sun, about 10 to 12 inches apart so the mounds can fill without rotting in the middle.
- Wait until frost has passed and the soil has warmed.
- Dig a hole no deeper than the nursery pot, a little wider.
- Set the crown at soil level. Do not bury the woolly stems.
- Space plants about a foot apart. Water to settle, then let the top of the soil dry.
- In a container, use a pot with a hole and a mix that drains.
When should I plant dusty miller?
After frost, from a six-pack. In a frost-free cool season, plant when nights stay mild.
Start seed on the soil surface, or buy a six-pack
Most people buy packs. If you sow, start 10 to 15 weeks before the last frost. Press the seed onto the mix; do not cover it, because it needs light to germinate. [3] A hanging-bead cutting is a different job on How to Propagate String of Pearls.
Not florist cineraria — and not beach wormwood sold as dusty miller
Dusty miller is the silver bedding plant. Florist cineraria is a short-lived flowering houseplant with daisy blooms in blue, pink, or magenta — not this foliage mound. Some tags also use dusty miller for beach wormwood, a spreading silver Artemisia. Centaurea with silver leaves is another lookalike. Read the Latin name. [4]
Is dusty miller the same as florist cineraria?
No. Florist cineraria is grown for colorful daisies. Dusty miller is grown for silver leaves.
Plant it in sun after frost, keep the soil draining, and pinch the daisies if you want the silver leaves.
FAQ
Should I pinch the yellow flowers?
Yes, if you want the silver mound. The daisies are not the reason most people buy it.
Can I grow dusty miller as a winter annual in Florida?
In a mild, frost-free winter, plant it as a cool-season annual and water it to establish, then as needed.
Is Angel Wings the same as dusty miller?
It is another silver Senecio for a bed or pot. Same sun and drain. It is not the hanging bead plant.
What should I plant with dusty miller?
Pink, magenta, or violet annuals, or a dark foliage neighbor, so the silver reads. Keep the soil draining.
Is dusty miller toxic?
Yes, if eaten. Wear gloves if the sap irritates your skin. Keep pets from chewing the leaves.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/jacobaea-maritima/ - [2] New York Botanical Garden -
https://libanswers.nybg.org/faq/222525 - [3] Wisconsin Horticulture -
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/dusty-miller-senecio-cineraria/ - [4] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions -
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/dusty-miller/
This note is part of Senecio Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors