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Browallia
Browallia speciosa
Browallia blooms from June through September.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Browallia
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 10–11. Expect it to reach about 14 in tall and 12 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Browallia
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Browallia into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 10, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 10 in January. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Browallia get?
14 intall5 ft 7 inan adult12 inwideSee Browallia in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Browallia
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Browallia about 12 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Browallia to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Browallia's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 10 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical Gardenheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- plants.chaletnursery.comChalet Nursery (NetPS Plant Finder), Browallia speciosa 'Blue Bells'height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Florida IFASEDIS FPS75height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Cornell Cooperative ExtensionCornell University Home Gardeningheight, spread and sun
- mygardenlife.comMyGardenLife Plant Libraryheight, hardiness zones and sun
- University of Illinois ExtensionFlowersheight, hardiness zones and sun
- University of Illinois ExtensionHort Answersheight, hardiness zones and sun
- horticopia.infoHorticopia, Browallia speciosa 'Marine Bells'sun
- vitegreenhouses.comVite Greenhouses, Browallia speciosa 'Marine Bells'sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 2 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every color in the Browallia group
Every figure is the color's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Name | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browalliathis page | Blue | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 14 in × 12 in |
| Purple | Purple | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 14 in × 12 in |
| White | White | Jun–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Part shade | 14 in × 12 in |
Good to know about Browallia
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
In the nightshade family. NC State flags it as toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, though ASPCA does not list it; keep it away from pets. per NC State and ASPCA
Worth knowing
Not just a throwaway annual: cut it back, pot it and bring it indoors for winter bloom in a bright, warm spot. It is really a tender perennial. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
How much sun it needs
Sources split: national listings allow full sun to part shade, but Illinois warns too much sun scorches leaves in hot regions. Part shade, morning sun with afternoon shade, is safest. per NC State and Illinois
Blooms in shade
One of the better flowering annuals for shade: it does well in part to full shade, so it is a go-to for shady beds, borders and hanging baskets. per NC State
Pinch for a fuller plant
Pinch back the tips of young plants to force branching and a bushier, fuller habit with more flowers, and deadhead spent blooms to keep it flowering into fall. per NC State
Draws hummingbirds and butterflies
Its long summer-to-frost bloom draws hummingbirds and butterflies for steady nectar, though it is a garden ornamental rather than a keystone bee plant. per NC State and Royal Society
Sap-feeders under glass
No serious diseases, but sap-feeders (aphids, whiteflies, thrips, spider mites) trouble it under glass and indoors; scout leaf undersides and knock them back with water sprays. per NC State and UC Statewide IPM
What pairs well with Browallia
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Azalea
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Camellia
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in midwinter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Primrose
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Virginia Bluebells
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; echoes the blue.
Snowdrop
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 5 in, for the front of the border.
Lungwort
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; purple sits close to blue on the wheel.
Windflower
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border.
Witch Hazel
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; stands well above at 10 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.