Collinsia is a half hardy or hardy annual that reaches 30 to 60 cm in height.
It blooms in the middle of summer, with flowers of pink, blue or purple.
The flowers are often lip shaped, hence one of their common names – Bluelips; other names for Collinsia include Innocence, Blue-eyed Mary, and Chinese Houses.
It is a great plant to grow in borders even in containers.
Collinsia heterophylla - Chinese houses by MiguelVieira; Creative commons.
Collinsia tinctoria - Tincture Plant by Marlin Harms.
Seeds of should be planted outside in their final location either before the last frost of spring or in the autumn.
Innocence should be grown in a sunny garden or a partially shaded one in hot areas; plant them about 20 cm apart.
Collinsia likes to grow in a soil of pH 5 to 8, that is moist but well drained, and fertile.
The germination of Collinsia normally takes about two to three weeks.
In windy areas Collinsia should be staked. The plant should be dead-headed to encourage flowering and prevent the Innocence taking over the garden.
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Collinsia plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Rhodochiton and Veronica plants.