Days to cut
75–80 daysStatus
tryingCatalog ID
CF-68Seasons logged
2First sown
2026-05-06Velvety burgundy petals surround deep-brown centers on branching 4–6 foot plants.
How it grows
Germination
- Days to germ.
- 7–14 d
- Soil temp
- 70–75 °F
- Depth
- 0.5 in
- Pre-treatment
- None, but can soak seeds for up to 3 hours before sowing to speed germination.
- Viability
- 3 yrs
Culture
- Days to maturity
- 75–80 dThis variety
- Spacing
- 4–24 in
- Height
- 36–180 in
- Sun
- Sun
- Frost
- Hardy to ~32°F · to 32°F · tender
- Sow indoors
- No
- Outdoor / direct
- Yes
Harvest
- Cut stage
- When petals have color and just begin to lift away from center disc, but before the bloom is fully open.
- Vase life
- 5–7 d
- Handling
- Store out of direct sunlight; re-cut stems every 2 days
- Notes
- Yield: One stem per plant. SeeDS: When petals wither and drop, back of heads turn yellow-brown, and seeds get plump, cut with 1-2 ft of stem and hang by stem to dry. After 1-2 d, rub flower face to remove dried seeds.
Trials
Sown
Source
Seeds
Rating
Notes
Other Observations
Notes not filed against a sowing. Everything else sits with its trial above.
No loose observations — every note belongs to a sowing.
This variety’s year
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Outdoor / directMay 21 – Jun 18
Bloom (from outdoor)Jul 30 – Aug 27
Seed source
Firefly Farm & Mercantile