Café Au Lait Painted Tongue is a captivating annual flower that brings an unexpected sophistication to summer gardens. This cultivar of Salpiglossis sinuata, named for its creamy coffee-and-cream colored blooms, grows 24 to 30 inches tall and produces intricate, funnel-shaped flowers from June through November. Starting from seed indoors 8 weeks before your last frost, plants reach full bloom in 98 to 112 days, rewarding patient gardeners with striking flowers that dance between warm beige and soft tan tones. Hardy in zones 8 through 11, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and neutral to slightly acidic soil.
Full Sun
Moderate
8-11
30in H x 12in W
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Moderate
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The blooms of Café Au Lait Painted Tongue are unlike anything else in the summer garden. Each flower unfolds like delicate velvet in warm, muted coffee tones that seem to shift and deepen in afternoon light. This variety attracts pollinators throughout its long season, creating a living bridge between your garden's early summer and late fall harvests. The plants reach a manageable 24 to 30 inches tall with fine, airy foliage that won't crowd your beds.
Café Au Lait Painted Tongue is grown primarily as an ornamental cut flower and garden accent. Its long, delicate blooms are treasured by flower arrangers for their subtle coloring and unusual texture, which adds dimension to mixed bouquets. The plants' extended bloom window from summer into fall makes them valuable for succession planting and for filling gaps in borders when other summer annuals begin to fade.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors in pots 8 weeks before your last frost date. Maintain soil temperature between 70 and 75°F. Salpiglossis seeds require darkness to germinate, so surface sow them, press gently into the soil, sprinkle lightly with fine vermiculite, and cover with black paper or opaque material to exclude light. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 21 days.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after your last frost date once soil has warmed. Space plants 1 inch apart and ensure the planting area receives full sun.
Direct sow seeds at your last frost date in a location that receives full sun. Cover seeds with black paper or opaque mulch immediately after sowing, as darkness is essential for germination.
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