Salpiglossis sinuata Kew Blue - seeds

Salpiglossis sinuata 'Kew Blue' is a very beautiful selection with dark flowers of a South American annual plant also known as Salpiglossis with changing flowers or "Velvet Trumpet". Their velvety texture catches the light, in a combination of dark blue, purple, and crimson, producing a quite stunning effect. The flowers bloom from late spring to late summer on a bushy plant. They produce seeds that can be collected and sown again in the following spring.

Salpiglossis sinuata 'Kew Blue' is a herbaceous plant of the solanaceae family, theoretically perennial but not very hardy, mostly grown as an annual. Its appearance is very similar to petunias and surfinias. Its stems are branching, flexible, and slightly trailing. It is also possible to pinch them to promote a bushy effect, the Salpiglossis will then form a clump of 50-60 cm tall and 30 cm wide in just a few months. The leaves are light green, lanceolate, and smaller towards the top of the stem. It bears several flowers, which open like funnel-shaped ones of petunias. They need sunlight to flourish. They are tubular at the base, measure 4 to 5 cm and have velvety highlights. Their dark blue colour becomes purple towards the centre, and they are traversed by dark violet veins, which highlight their small bright yellow stamens. This rich and deep colour palette is eye-catching. After being pollinated by insects, the flowers produce seeds that give rise to plants faithful to the mother plant.

Salpiglossis sinuata, somewhat forgotten by gardeners in recent years, is very decorative and undemanding. It prefers sunlight and moist but well-drained soil and will flower from June to September if you take care to remove faded flowers and possibly prune the stems in August to encourage new growth. It finds a place alongside cleomes and tall snapdragons to which it brings colour and lightness, but it also thrives in containers. Its uncommon hue may seem exotic, but it blends well in many chromatic compositions, whether pastel or more vibrant. It is a lovely companion for pink-flowered roses such as 'Bouquet Parfait' or 'Sourire de Sylvie', for example.