How to Grow Calibrachoa Cabaret Purple

Calibrachoa Cabaret Purple

Calibrachoa × hybrida 'Cabaret Purple'

flower

Calibrachoa Cabaret Purple is a compact, mounding annual flower featuring vibrant deep purple blooms with yellow throats. This is a petunia-like flower bred for continuous blooming and improved weather tolerance, making it ideal for containers, baskets, and garden beds.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum

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Water: Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply when top inch of soil feels dry. Container plants may need daily watering in hot weather. Reduce watering in cooler months.

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Spacing: 8-12 inches

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Days to maturity: 45-60

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Planting depth: Do not cover seeds; press gently onto soil surface. Transplants: plant at same depth as container

Soil

Type: Well-draining potting soil or garden soil with organic matter

pH: 6.0-7.0

Amendments:

compost perlite peat moss aged bark

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Grows as annual in zones 2-11; overwinters in zones 9-11

2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a

Growth Stages

Germination & Seedling

10-14 days

Tiny seeds sprout and develop first true leaves. Seedlings are delicate with small opposite leaves.

Provide bright, indirect light on heat mat (70-75°F). Keep soil moist but never waterlogged. Maintain 12-16 hours of light daily. Transplant when 2-3 true leaves appear.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Plant develops branching stems and bushy foliage with small narrow leaves. Growth is compact and mounding.

Provide 6-8 hours of full sun daily. Maintain consistent moisture. Begin light fertilizing with balanced fertilizer every 2 weeks. Pinch growing tips to encourage branching.

Bud Formation

2-3 weeks

Terminal buds begin forming at branch tips. Plant becomes noticeably fuller with visible flower buds developing.

Continue full sun exposure. Switch to bloom-promoting fertilizer (higher phosphorus). Water consistently. Remove any diseased or dead foliage.

Flowering

8-12 weeks (or until frost)

Abundant deep purple flowers with yellow throats bloom continuously. Flowers are trumpet-shaped, about 1 inch across.

Deadhead spent blooms weekly to promote continuous flowering. Maintain consistent watering, especially in containers. Apply bloom fertilizer every 10-14 days. Protect from extreme heat stress with afternoon shade in zones 9-11.

Decline & End of Season

4+ weeks until frost

Flowering diminishes in fall as temperatures drop or with first frost. Plant may decline or be killed by freezing temperatures.

Reduce fertilizer applications. In zones 9-11, can overwinter indoors or in protected locations. Otherwise, treat as annual and replace. Collect seeds if desired before plant dies.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Verbena Salvia Dusty Miller Heliotrope Bacopa Sweet Potato Vine Petunias Lobelia

Avoid planting near:

Plants requiring consistently dry soil Shade-loving understory plants Aggressive competitors like ivy

Common Pests

Inspect leaf undersides regularly. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly. Yellow sticky traps help monitor and reduce populations. Improve air circulation.
Increase humidity by misting leaves. Spray with water forcefully to dislodge mites. Use miticides if severe. Keep plants well-watered to reduce stress.
Spray with strong water jet to remove. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs. Use reflective mulch to confuse aphids.
Remove heavily infested leaves. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Use blue or yellow sticky traps. Maintain good air circulation.
Ensure excellent air circulation. Water at soil level, not foliage. Remove infected plant parts. Apply fungicide if severe. Reduce overhead moisture.

Uses

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Edible Flower Garnish

Culinary

Calibrachoa flowers are non-toxic and can be used as decorative edible garnishes for desserts and salads, adding vibrant purple color and delicate beauty to culinary presentations. [source]

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Container & Hanging Basket Growing

Household

Specially bred for container cultivation, this cultivar thrives in pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets, providing season-long color with minimal space requirements. [source]

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Pollinator Attraction

Wildlife

The abundant small flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hoverflies, making it an excellent choice for supporting beneficial insect populations in gardens. [source]

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Floral Arrangements & Cut Flowers

Craft

Individual flowers or short stems can be used in small floral arrangements and corsages, though blooms have relatively short vase life (2-3 days). [source]

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Landscape Color & Garden Design

Household

Creates vibrant purple cascading displays in mixed borders, rock gardens, and mass plantings; excellent for creating continuous color from spring until fall frost. [source]

Harvest Tips

Deadhead (remove) spent flowers regularly by pinching off wilted blooms at the base. This encourages continuous flowering throughout the growing season. Harvest seeds (if desired) by allowing a few flowers to fade and produce seed pods; collect pods when dry and extract seeds.

Fun Facts

🌱 Calibrachoa is often called 'million bells' because a single mature plant can produce hundreds of small flowers simultaneously during peak bloom season.
🌱 Unlike traditional petunias, calibrachoa flowers are typically smaller (about 1 inch) but far more numerous, creating a more delicate, refined appearance.
🌱 The 'Cabaret' series was specifically bred for improved disease resistance and weather tolerance, including rain fastness and heat endurance compared to older calibrachoa cultivars.

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