Kiss-Me-Over-the-Garden-Gate ‘Cerise Pearls’
Persicaria orientalis
Description
This old-fashioned treasure grows tall in the cottage garden yet doesn’t require staking. Bushy plants are loaded with long stems of nodding, pink-magenta flowers. Adding movement to both the garden and vase arrangements, this beauty has an ethereal, sparkling quality. Pollinators love it, and the plant will reseed itself, often coming back in the same spot for years.
Details
Plant type: annual
Height: 30 to 55 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 90 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: not necessary
Height: 30 to 55 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 90 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: not necessary
Seed Sowing & Growing Notes
Sow seed indoors in trays 6 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed. Speed up germination by popping seeds in the refrigerator or freezer for 3 weeks before sowing.
Harvesting/Vase Life
Harvest when at least 50 percent of the blossoms on a flower are open. Flowers are wilt prone, so harvest in the coolest part of the day. Expect a vase life of 5 to 7 days.
Details
Description
This old-fashioned treasure grows tall in the cottage garden yet doesn’t require staking. Bushy plants are loaded with long stems of nodding, pink-magenta flowers. Adding movement to both the garden and vase arrangements, this beauty has an ethereal, sparkling quality. Pollinators love it, and the plant will reseed itself, often coming back in the same spot for years.
Details
Plant type: annual
Height: 30 to 55 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 90 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: not necessary
Height: 30 to 55 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 90 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: not necessary
Seed Sowing & Growing Notes
Sow seed indoors in trays 6 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed. Speed up germination by popping seeds in the refrigerator or freezer for 3 weeks before sowing.
Harvesting/Vase Life
Harvest when at least 50 percent of the blossoms on a flower are open. Flowers are wilt prone, so harvest in the coolest part of the day. Expect a vase life of 5 to 7 days.
Sources
How to Grow
Sources
How to Grow
Seed-Saving Mini Course
Learn how to save seed from zinnia, dahlia, and celosia
In our upcoming free, three-part video series, you’ll learn everything you need to know to save seeds on a home scale, including how plants are pollinated and isolation techniques to ensure varieties come back true, how to tell when plants are ready to pick and how to harvest the seeds, and how to properly dry, clean, and store seeds long term.
