Rose Red Soba Buckwheat in a glass jar on a white background.
Rose Red Soba Buckwheat flowers and foliage arranged on white background.
A close-up of a Rose Red Soba Buckwheat flower in the garden.
Rose Red Soba Buckwheat flowers arranged on a vintage white washed wooden background.
Rose Red Soba Buckwheat in a glass jar on a white background.
Rose Red Soba Buckwheat flowers and foliage arranged on white background.
A close-up of a Rose Red Soba Buckwheat flower in the garden.
Rose Red Soba Buckwheat flowers arranged on a vintage white washed wooden background.

Buckwheat Seeds,
Rose Red Soba

4.423 ReviewsSKU: #GS111Min. seed count: 75
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Description

Grown for incredible flowers, tasty buckwheat seeds, and for feeding beneficial insects! In 1987, this very rare pink buckwheat was taken to Japan from the Himalayan Mountains at an altitude of 12,400 feet by Professor Emeritus Akio Ujihara of Shinshu University. We are told that Takano Co. and Mr. Ujihara further developed this to suit the Japanese climate. Clouds of rose-pink flowers cover this low-maintenance buckwheat. The drought-tolerant plants are fantastic to attract beneficial pollinators in abundance and add an amazing pop to long-lasting bouquets. Planted en masse, it is as stunning as a field of lavender. Easy to grow, deer resistant, drought tolerant and hardy in much of the U.S.

Growing Tips: Buckwheat blooms very quickly, often 6-8 weeks after sowing. For soil improvement, plants should be mowed as soon as blooms appear. For grain, wait for full maturity.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Fagopyrum esculentum
Life Cycle
Annual
Sun Requirement
6–12 hr.
Days to Germinate
7–12
Days to Maturity
70–84
Planting Depth
¼ in.
Plant Spacing
6 in.
Ideal Temperature
41°F
Frost Hardy
No

When to Grow

Rose Red Soba can go in any time the weather is warm, from spring through summer, when temperatures are between 45 and 105 F. Broadcast the seed into well worked soil at a rate of about one seed every 2 inches, then rake it in to 1/4 inch deep; sprouts come up in 7-12 days. Thin the stand to about 4 inches apart if you are growing it for flowers or grain. The plants are not frost hardy. They bloom very quickly, often 6-8 weeks after sowing, and reach full maturity in 70-84 days.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Seeds germinate in 7-12 days.
  • Broadcast seeds into well worked/cultivated soil (aim to broadcast at a rate of 1 seed every 2 inches).
  • Lightly cover or rake in seeds to 1/2 inch deep.
  • Sow whenever warm (spring to summer when temps are between 45-105 F)
  • Ideal germination temp is 80 F.

How to Grow

  • Prefers full sun.
  • It will perform in poor soils but does best in medium-textured, well-drained soil.
  • Thin plants to 4 inches apart.
  • If not growing it for grain, incorporate into soil when flowering begins!

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Deer and turkeys enjoy foraging buckwheat and are usually the biggest problem.
  • Aphids are a common pest, but usually do little damage in summer-sown buckwheat. Buckwheat that emerges in early spring is at some risk of aphid infestation.
  • Performs poorly in heavy, wet soils or soils with high levels of limestone.

How to Save Seeds

  • Harvest plants when 75% of the seed head is brown and dry, but before first hard frost.
  • Cut stalks as close the ground as possible, leaving the root in the soil.
  • Pull seedheads from the stalk and leave to dry further in a well-ventilated location.
  • Once seedheads are completely dry, remove seeds from pods by squeezing or rolling them with your hands.
  • Winnow or otherwise separate the chaff from the seed.

FAQ

How soon will the pink flowers of Rose Red Soba appear?

Buckwheat blooms very quickly, often 6-8 weeks after sowing, and this variety carries clouds of rose-pink flowers. Planted en masse, it is as stunning as a field of lavender.

Can I grow Rose Red Soba for cut flowers and still get a grain harvest?

Yes, if you stagger them. Cut stems for bouquets while the clouds of rose-pink flowers are fresh and long-lasting, then let the rest of the planting stand to full maturity for grain, harvesting when 75% of the seed head is brown and dry but before the first hard frost. If you are growing it to improve soil instead, mow or incorporate the planting as soon as blooms appear.

Is it good for pollinators?

Yes. Buckwheat attracts and provides forage for pollinators, and these drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plants bring in beneficial insects in abundance.

Customer reviews

4.4 / 5 23 Reviews

What gardeners are saying

  • Vivid pink blooms: Deep pink flowers open within weeks and keep going all season.

  • Pollinator magnet: Blooms stay covered in bees and beneficial insects.

  • Good cut flower: Makes a long-lasting bouquet filler that opens after cutting.

  • Tough and easy: Grows fast in poor spots, tolerates drought and needs little water.

  • Heads up: Germination can be patchy, and young stems may flop in wind and rain.

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