Candy Kisses Plant | A Fast-Growing Sage For Warm Gardens

The Candy Kisses plant is a compact, aromatic shrub with variegated leaves and soft pink flowers that blooms from late spring through fall in warm climates.

Most gardeners meet this plant through the name “Candy Kisses” and assume it is some rare tropical import. The truth is simpler: it is a selected cultivar of Hemizygia rosmarinifolia, a wild sage native to South Africa that was hybridized in Australia around 2010. The name comes from the way the small, tubular flowers cluster in shades of pink, lavender, and white — looking like scattered kisses above the foliage. It grows as a perennial in frost-free zones (USDA 9–11) and works as an annual or houseplant everywhere else. This article covers what the plant needs, where it thrives, and how to keep it blooming all season.

What Is The Candy Kisses Plant?

The Candy Kisses cultivar is a compact, upright member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is often sold under the trade name PRINCE OF PARADISE™. Its botanical name is Hemizygia rosmarinifolia ‘Candy Kisses’. The foliage is the first thing people notice: green leaves edged in creamy white, often flushed with pink on the margins. Crush a leaf, and you get the same aromatic quality found in many sage relatives. The plant reaches 18–24 inches tall and spreads about as wide, forming a tidy mound that fits well in containers, cottage borders, or rock gardens.

The flowers appear in sprays above the foliage from late spring through early fall. In regions where frost never hits, the bloom period can stretch from mid-winter to late fall. Each tiny blossom is soft pink, lavender, or white, and the overall effect is a continuous haze of pastel color that holds up well in heat.

Where Does Candy Kisses Grow Best?

This plant is built for warm, frost-free climates. It is listed as hardy in USDA Zones 9 through 11, covering most of Florida, coastal California, the Gulf states, and southern Texas. In those zones, it acts as a true perennial and stays evergreen through winter. In Zones 8 and below, it is grown as a tender annual or brought indoors as a houseplant when frost threatens.

Heat does not bother this plant. It was selected from African and Australian stock that evolved in warm conditions, so it performs best when summer temperatures stay above 70°F. In cooler coastal zones, give it the sunniest spot you have.

When And How To Plant Candy Kisses

Plant in spring after the last frost date for your area. In Zone 9 and warmer, you can plant in fall as well. Dig a hole twice the width of the nursery pot and plant at the same depth it was growing in the container. Backfill with garden soil mixed with a handful of compost. Water in deeply — this first soak is critical for settling the soil around the roots.

For containers, use a quality potting mix that drains well. A 10-inch pot is enough for one plant, though a 14-inch pot allows room for companions. The plant’s upright shape pairs naturally with trailing annuals like calibrachoa or creeping zinnia if you want a full, mixed arrangement.

How Much Water And Fertilizer Does It Need?

The watering routine changes after the first 6–8 weeks. During establishment, water deeply whenever the top inch of soil feels dry — this may be every 2–3 days in hot weather. Once the plant is rooted in and putting out new growth, let the soil dry out more between waterings. Overwatering mature plants is the most common mistake owners report.

Fertilize every 4 weeks during the growing season (spring through late summer) with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer at half strength. A 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 formula works well. Stop feeding in early fall so the plant slows down naturally before winter. If you are growing it as an annual, stop feeding when the first frost approaches and let it finish.

Pruning And Deadheading For Maximum Blooms

The single best thing you can do for this plant is to remove spent flowers regularly. The blooms come in small sprays along the stem tips, and as each cluster fades, cutting it back to the first set of leaves encourages a new flush. If you stop deadheading, the plant will shift energy to seed production and bloom less.

In late winter or early spring, cut back any dead or frost-damaged stems to where you see new growth. During summer, trim back any leggy shoots to keep the mound compact and dense. A light trim after each bloom cycle keeps the plant looking fresh and prevents it from getting floppy.

My Garden Channel’s complete Candy Kisses Hemizygia care guide covers the full pruning schedule and includes photos of stem-node cuts that help beginners see exactly where to snip.

Growing Candy Kisses As A Houseplant

Northern gardeners do not have to skip this plant. Candy Kisses performs well indoors when given enough light and protection from drafts. Place it in a south- or west-facing window where it gets at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day, or use a grow light for 12 hours. The variegated foliage stays bright, and the plant will flower year-round if light and temperature are consistent.

Indoor challenges are mostly humidity and watering. Group it with other houseplants or set the pot on a shallow tray of pebbles with water below the pot line. Let the top inch of soil dry before watering — the same moderate rhythm that works outdoors. Keep it away from heating vents and cold windowpanes in winter.

Repot every 12–18 months in spring, moving up one pot size. If the plant gets too woody or sparse after a few years indoors, take stem cuttings and start fresh — the parent plant rarely regains its compact shape once it goes woody.

How To Propagate Candy Kisses From Cuttings

Cuttings are the only reliable way to make new plants. Seed is difficult to source for this specific cultivar, and seedlings may not hold the variegation. This is the step-by-step method used by nurseries:

1. Cut a 4–6 inch section of a healthy, non-flowering stem. Make the cut just below a leaf node (the point where a leaf joins the stem).
2. Remove the lower leaves so only two or three leaves remain at the top.
3. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder. This step is not optional — the hormone speeds rooting and prevents stem rot.
4. Insert the stem into a small pot filled with well-draining potting mix. Water it in gently.
5. Place the pot in a warm, bright location out of direct sun. Covering it loosely with a clear plastic bag creates a mini greenhouse.
6. Check every few days. After 3–4 weeks, gently tug the stem — resistance means roots have formed. Transplant into a regular pot at that point.

Where To Buy Candy Kisses Plants

Availability varies by season and region. The plant is often sold in 4-inch to 4.5-inch pots for $7 to $12. Retailers like Little Prince of Oregon and SiteOne US carry it, and smaller nurseries list it under the common names “Candy Kisses Wild Sage” or “Candy Kisses Hemizygia.” When stock runs out at local garden centers, check online nurseries, though heat and shipping delays can stress the plant — order in mild weather. A 2010 blog entry at source Kiyanti2008 describes the original Australian hybrid and confirms the plant’s decade-plus history of cultivation before its US arrival.

Candy Kisses Care Checklist

Keep one printed copy with your garden supplies and reference it when you plant, prune, or notice a problem.

• Placement: Full sun in Zones 9–11; south-facing window indoors.
• Soil: Well-draining with a handful of compost added at planting time.
• Water (first 8 weeks): Deeply, whenever the top inch of soil dries.
• Water (after 8 weeks): Moderate, letting soil dry between waterings.
• Fertilizer: Balanced liquid feed every 4 weeks, spring through late summer.
• Deadhead: Cut spent flower sprays back to the first set of leaves.
• Winter prune: Cut dead stems back to live growth in late winter.
• Frost protection: Bring indoors if temps fall below 40°F; mulch heavily if plants stay outside in marginal zones.
• Pest watch: Aphids and whiteflies may appear on indoor plants; spray with insecticidal soap at first sight.