Variegated Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate is a towering heirloom annual that commands attention in the garden, reaching 6 to 7 feet tall with elegant variegated foliage. Native to the Polygonaceae family, this frost-tender beauty thrives in hardiness zones 2 through 11 and produces showy blooms from summer through fall, typically flowering 112 to 126 days after sowing. Its narrow, upright habit makes it an architectural accent plant that attracts pollinators throughout the season. Best grown in full sun with moderate water and well-balanced soil, this variety has been cherished by gardeners for generations.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
84in H x 24in W
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Moderate
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The variegated foliage sets this tall annual apart, creating visual interest long before the blooms emerge. Growing to nearly seven feet, it creates a dramatic backdrop or focal point in any garden bed, yet its slender 24-inch width keeps it from consuming precious space. The extended bloom window from June through November ensures months of pollinator activity and continuous garden color. Its heirloom status speaks to generations of gardeners who've saved seed and passed this variety forward, recognizing its unique combination of height, ornamental foliage, and season-long flowering.
Variegated Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate is grown primarily as an ornamental flower, valued for its striking variegated foliage and long blooming period. Its towering habit makes it useful as a tall backdrop in flower borders, cottage gardens, and pollinator plantings where its nectar-rich flowers support bees and other beneficial insects throughout the late season.
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Start seeds indoors by stratifying them for 30 days before sowing. Mix seeds with damp clean sand or vermiculite, place in a sealed bag, and refrigerate at 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Check frequently for germination and maintain lightly moist growing medium throughout the chill period. Transplant seedlings as they germinate. After stratification, sow into containers at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit where they will germinate within 22 to 60 days.
Transplant outdoors after the last frost date when soil temperatures have warmed. Space plants 2 inches apart initially, allowing room for mature width of 24 inches. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before final planting.
Direct sow in fall or earliest spring, or winter sow seeds into pots in the shade covered with a thin layer of soil. Seeds will germinate within 22 to 60 days depending on soil temperature and conditions.
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