Nasturtium 'Empress of India'

Tropaeolummajus

Genus
Tropaeolum (tro-PEE-oh-lum)
Species
majus (MAY-jus)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage
Shiny/Glossy
Smooth
Textured
Height
6-12 in. (15-30 cm)
Spacing
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
N/A
Bloom Color
Scarlet (dark red)
Bloom Time
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Other Details
Category
Annuals
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Dark/Black
Orange/Apricot
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
Direct sow as soon as the ground can be worked
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting
Collect seedhead/pod when flowers fade; allow to dry
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

San Anselmo, California

San Diego, California

Santa Cruz, California

Thomasville, Georgia

Kailua, Hawaii

Kaneohe Station, Hawaii

Maunawili, Hawaii

Kingfield, Maine

Takoma Park, Maryland

Danvers, Massachusetts

Worcester, Massachusetts

Washington, Missouri

Clinton, Montana

Bayville, New Jersey

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Bucyrus, Ohio

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Lafayette, Tennessee

Pipe Creek, Texas

Roanoke, Virginia

Freeland, Washington

Spokane, Washington

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Gardener's Notes:

7
positives
3
neutrals
0
negative
Sort By:
Sort By:
K
Washington, MO | June 2012 | positive

This plant does not like direct sunlight here in Washington, Mo. but grows extremely well in partial shade. Do not fertilize as the resu...Read More

K
Pipe Creek, TX | April 2008 | positive

I like this plant, even the leaves are pretty and it is sooo easy to grow from seed.

B
Braselton, GA (Zone 8a) | March 2007 | neutral

Classic Victorian plant with dark blue-green foliage and crimson-scarlet flowers. Plants seldom get over 12-14" and are great for contain...Read More

S
Clinton, MT | May 2006 | neutral

I too grew out "Empress of India" from seed and had an extreme variety of colors. One yellow, one scarlet, and the rest were oranges an...Read More

J
Loganville, GA (Zone 7b) | May 2006 | positive

I grew Nasturtium 'Empress of India' from seed. It propogated easily. Transplanting was an issue for some of the plants but the majority ...Read More

P
Kailua, HI (Zone 11) | June 2004 | positive

The color is striking and the plant is more compact than most nasturtiums. Nice addition to my garden.

S
Old Town, FL | January 2004 | neutral

I generally love nasturtiums, but I planted Empress of India in a suburb of Atlanta and all of the flowers were orange, not the beautiful...Read More

F
F
Santa Cruz, CA (Zone 9b) | January 2004 | positive

This has a neater and smaller habit than most of the nasturtiums I've grown, and the foliage is beautiful in its own right. It's a littl...Read More

L
Grove City, OH (Zone 6a) | January 2003 | positive

'Empress of India' clambering up a viburnum made a show-stopper in my yard.

W
Seward, AK (Zone 3b) | August 2002 | positive

Empress of India has dark crimson flowers and dark green leaves tinged with a red edging. The unusual leaf color makes it an interesting ...Read More

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