Salpiglossis sinuata Tora Staring Eyes - Painted Tongue, Trompettes de velours

The Salpiglossis sinuata 'Tora Staring Eyes' is a blend of 4 cultivars with pastel colours adorned with highly contrasting patterns. These are remarkable annual plants for decorating borders and containers, but also for creating vibrant cut flower arrangements. Their large funnel-shaped flowers marked with golden to orange veins bloom throughout the summer. The coated seeds facilitate easy and homogeneous sowing.

The Salpiglossis sinuata 'Staring Eyes' is a plant from the Solanaceae family. It is nicknamed 'velvet trumpet', 'painted tongue', or 'scalloped tube tongue'. The species type, Salpiglossis sinuata, is native to southern Chile where it grows spontaneously in open meadows, forest edges, and recently disturbed areas. Although perennial in its natural environment, it is cultivated as an annual in our latitudes due to its low hardiness (-1 to -3°C).

Developed by Takii Europe, introduced in 2025, the 'Staring Eyes' belongs to the 'Tora' series known for its floral quality, plant uniformity, and rich colour range. This blend produces flowers of 5 cm in diameter, displaying a wide spectrum of hues—pure white, deep violet, cherry pink, and brick red—all marked by strong golden to orange veins centred around a bright heart. The visual effect is spectacular, evoking a piercing gaze. Unlike other salpiglossis more commonly used in borders, the 'Staring Eyes' is selected for cut flowers with improved longevity and exceptional ornamental value. Each plant forms an upright, slightly bushy clump within a few weeks, reaching approximately 45 cm in height with a 30 cm spread. The abundant flowering extends from July to September. The velvety, lobed flowers are grouped in terminal clusters. They are visited by bees and butterflies. The foliage consists of lanceolate, medium green leaves 7 to 15 cm long, with slightly undulate or dentate margins, borne on finely villous and slightly sticky stems. Pollinated flowers produce capsules containing fine seeds, which can be harvested for sowing for the following season.

The Salpiglossis sinuata 'Tora Staring Eyes' excels in containers, providing abundant colour and originality throughout the summer. This selection is also perfectly suited to floral arrangements, mixed with the single-flowered Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff' and Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Black Knight' for example. In a flower box, it pairs wonderfully with Pennisetum x advena 'Rubrum', Calibrachoa 'Superbells Unique White' or Nemesia 'Sunsatia Plus Anona'.

The coated seeds are covered with a thin layer of natural, often clay-based material which facilitates their handling and sowing. This coating improves seed visibility and promotes more homogeneous germination. It may also contain nutrients or protective agents to support the young seedling in its early stages of development.