Heirloom

Soufflé Light Pink

Callistephus chinensis

Photo: Memi Sahitolli · Wikimedia Commons · (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Harvest

105-115d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

2–11

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

1-3 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Showing dates for Soufflé Light Pink in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 flower →

Zone Map

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Soufflé Light Pink · Zones 2–11

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

SeasonWarm season annual

ColorLight pink

Size2 1/2-3 1/2"

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 1	May – June	July – August	July – September	—
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 3	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	June – July	—
Zone 5	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 6	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 8	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 9	January – February	March – April	March – May	—
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	February – April	—

Succession Planting

Soufflé Light Pink takes 105–115 days to flower, which makes tight succession tricky — but you can stagger two or three indoor sowings about 3 weeks apart, starting in early February and running through mid-March. Transplant the first batch in April once nights are above 45°F, and follow with the later sowings in early to mid-May. That spreads your bloom window by 4–6 weeks without pushing transplants into summer heat stress.

Don't try to extend past a June transplant in zone 7. Asters set buds on a mix of day-length and temperature cues, and plants put in the ground after mid-June often get hit by August heat before they size up and flower properly. Two solid sowings is usually enough for a CSA or farmers market cut-flower schedule.

Complete Growing Guide

2 1/2-3 1/2" double blooms of excellent quality. Plants are highly uniform and have been consistently healthy and sturdy in our trials. Compared to the Tower series, Soufflé Light Pink blooms earlier and has similar peony-style flowers. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Soufflé Light Pink is 105 - 115 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Use for Cut Flowers and Bouquets.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Soufflé Light Pink reaches harvest at 105 - 115 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 2 1/2-3 1/2" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

The fruit is a rough-textured, glandular, purple-mottled cypsela that turns gray with age.

Storage & Preservation

For fresh storage, keep cut Soufflé Light Pink blooms in a cool environment at 65-72°F with 80-85% humidity—refrigerate for longest vase life (7-10 days). Remove lower leaves, change water every 2-3 days, and add floral preservative. For preservation, try air-drying by hanging in bundles in a dark, well-ventilated space (2-3 weeks); pressing between parchment paper for flattened specimens; or silica gel drying for 5-7 days to retain color and form. Each method preserves the delicate peony-style blooms for crafts or arrangements.

History & Origin

Soufflé Light Pink is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: China and Southern Russia

Advantages

+Excellent double bloom quality with large 2.5-3.5 inch peony-style flowers
+Highly uniform plants ensure consistent garden appearance and performance
+Earlier blooming than Tower series saves weeks of waiting time
+Consistently healthy and sturdy in trials with reliable disease resistance
+Easy difficulty level makes it suitable for beginner gardeners

Considerations

-Long 105-115 day maturity requires patience for cut flower production
-Light pink color may fade or appear washed out in intense heat
-Requires well-draining soil to prevent root rot in wet conditions

Companion Plants

Marigolds (Tagetes patula) and alyssum are the two worth prioritizing near Soufflé Light Pink — marigolds push back aphids and thrips through scent compounds in their foliage, while alyssum pulls in parasitic wasps and hoverflies that work through the soft-bodied pest population on their own. In our zone 7 Georgia garden, both go in the ground around the same April window as your asters, so there's no extra trip out. Nasturtiums are useful as a sacrificial trap crop, drawing aphids away from your asters before they become a problem on the flowers you're actually cutting. Give black walnut (Juglans nigra) a wide berth — its roots release juglone through the soil, and Callistephus is sensitive enough that even planting 30–40 feet downhill from an established tree can cause stunting and dieback that looks like a watering problem until you rule everything else out.

Plant Together

Alyssum

Attracts beneficial insects and provides ground cover protection

Marigolds

Repels nematodes and aphids while providing complementary orange colors

Lavender

Deters pests with fragrance and attracts pollinators

Nasturtiums

Acts as trap crop for aphids and adds vibrant color contrast

Catmint

Repels ants and aphids while attracting beneficial pollinators

Cosmos

Attracts beneficial insects and provides height variation

Zinnia

Attracts butterflies and beneficial predatory insects

Dusty Miller

Provides silvery foliage contrast and deer resistance

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Produces juglone which is toxic to many flowering plants

Eucalyptus

Allelopathic oils inhibit growth of nearby plants

Sunflowers

Allelopathic compounds suppress growth of smaller flowering plants

Troubleshooting Soufflé Light Pink

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Seedlings collapse at the soil line, usually within the first 2 weeks after germination

Likely Causes

Damping off (Pythium or Rhizoctonia spp.) — fungal rot triggered by overwatering and poor air circulation
Starting mix that stays too wet between waterings

What to Do

1.Water from the bottom and let the top inch of mix dry slightly between waterings
2.Run a small fan near your seed trays for 30–60 minutes a day to move air across the surface
3.If it happens again, drench surviving seedlings with a dilute hydrogen peroxide solution (1 part 3% H2O2 to 9 parts water) and repot into fresh, sterile mix

Flower buds present but plants sit at 6–8 inches with no extension, even 90+ days after transplant

Likely Causes

Aster yellows — a phytoplasma spread by the aster leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus), which distorts and stunts growth
Transplanting too early into cold soil below 55°F, which slows root establishment and delays stem elongation

What to Do

1.Pull and bag any plant showing yellowing, distorted, or 'witches'-broom' growth — aster yellows has no cure and leafhoppers will spread it to healthy plants
2.Check transplant dates: in zone 7, wait until nighttime lows are reliably above 45°F before setting out
3.Reduce leafhopper pressure by installing floating row cover for the first 3–4 weeks after transplant, removing it once plants are established

Powdery white coating on leaves and stems, especially on lower and interior foliage in late summer

Likely Causes

Powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) — thrives in warm days, cool nights, and low airflow; common late in the season
Overcrowded planting that blocks light and air from reaching inner stems

What to Do

1.Strip affected leaves and dispose of them in the trash, not the compost pile
2.Spray foliage with a dilute baking soda solution (1 tablespoon per gallon of water with a few drops of dish soap) every 7–10 days as a preventive or early-stage treatment
3.Space plants at least 12 inches apart at transplant time — tight rows look tidy in May but invite this problem by August

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Soufflé Light Pink flowers last in a vase?▼

With proper care, Soufflé Light Pink blooms typically last 7-10 days in a vase. Ensure the container is clean, use floral preservative, change water every 2-3 days, and keep stems in cool conditions at 65-72°F. Remove any foliage below the waterline to prevent bacterial growth and extend longevity.

Is Soufflé Light Pink a good flower for beginners?▼

Yes, Soufflé Light Pink is excellent for beginners. It's rated as an easy-to-grow variety with highly uniform plants that have proven consistently healthy and sturdy in trials. It requires minimal expertise and is ideal for gardeners new to growing ornamental flowers.

Can you grow Soufflé Light Pink in containers?▼

Yes, Soufflé Light Pink can be grown in containers. Use well-draining potting soil and ensure containers have drainage holes. Provide full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours daily) and water regularly to keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged for optimal blooms.

When should I plant Soufflé Light Pink flowers?▼

Plant Soufflé Light Pink after the last frost in spring. Seeds typically germinate in 7-14 days, with blooms appearing 105-115 days from sowing. Timing depends on your local frost date—count backward to determine ideal planting time for summer flowering.

How does Soufflé Light Pink compare to the Tower series?▼

Soufflé Light Pink blooms earlier than the Tower series and produces similar peony-style double flowers. It has comparable quality and uniformity but faster flowering, making it ideal if you want earlier blooms. Both varieties are excellent choices for ornamental gardens.

What light conditions does Soufflé Light Pink need?▼

Soufflé Light Pink thrives in full sun to partial shade, requiring 4-6+ hours of sunlight daily. It performs well even with slightly less sun than some varieties, making it flexible for various garden locations while maintaining excellent bloom quality and plant uniformity.