Poached Egg Plant Seeds – Limnanthes douglasii

Brighten sunny borders and patio pots with Poached Egg Plant (Limnanthes douglasii), also known as Douglas' meadowfoam. Its cheerful flowers pair golden-yellow centers with crisp white edges above a low, spreading carpet of foliage. Plant beside a path or around a container edge to enjoy the lightly fragrant blooms up close.

Plant highlights

• Plant type: Fast-growing annual, not a perennial.
• Flowers: Yellow centers with white edges.
• Height: Approximately 8 inches.
• Spread: Up to approximately 30 inches under suitable conditions.
• Light: Full sun.
• Bloom season: Mid-spring to early fall, depending on climate and sowing time.
• Uses: Groundcover, border edging, and container gardens.

Seed pack options

Choose from 100 seeds, 1,000 seeds, a 7 gram pack, or a 1 oz pack. One ounce contains approximately 23,000 seeds; actual counts vary. Weight-based packs are sold by weight. This listing is for seeds, not live plants.

How to sow

Sow outdoors in spring after frost into a prepared, weed-free seedbed. Choose fertile, well-drained soil and loosen the surface before planting.

• Depth: Sow approximately 1/8 inch deep, covering lightly rather than burying deeply.
• Germination temperature: Approximately 70°F.
• Germination time: Usually 14–21 days under suitable conditions.
• Moisture: Keep the seedbed evenly moist until seedlings emerge.
• Sowing rate: Approximately 3–4 seeds per planting spot, or 1,000 seeds per 20 square feet for a broader sowing.
• Spacing: Thin to approximately 24 inches apart to allow for spreading growth.

Growing and care

Provide full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. The original growing guidance includes soils from sandy loam to clay, provided drainage is adequate. Water gently while seedlings establish and continue checking moisture during dry weather. Avoid prolonged waterlogging. Allow room for the plants to spread into a low carpet.

Growing in containers

Use poached egg plant to soften the edges of patio pots, window boxes, and mixed planters. Its spreading habit works well where the flowers can be enjoyed at close range.

• Container: Choose a broad pot with drainage holes and room for the plant's spreading habit.
• Potting mix: Use a well-draining container mix rather than heavy garden soil.
• Sowing: Sow directly into the final container, cover lightly to approximately 1/8 inch, and keep evenly moist during germination. Thin seedlings to avoid crowding.
• Placement: Position in full sun and monitor moisture closely in hot or windy weather.
• Watering: Water when the upper layer of mix begins to dry, allowing excess water to drain freely. Do not leave the pot standing in water.
• Feeding: If needed, use a fertilizer labeled for flowering container plants according to its directions, accounting for any fertilizer already in the mix.

Seasonal notes

The existing growing guidance lists USDA Zones 5–10 for seasonal cultivation. Because this is an annual, plan sowing around your local frost dates and growing season rather than treating that range as a winter-survival guarantee. Flowering duration varies with local conditions.