Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that the 2025 Pantone Colour of the Year is Mocha Mousse (also known as Pantone 17-1230 or HEX #a47764). Love it or hate it, Mocha Mousse is an incredibly versatile neutral shade. While it doesn’t naturally occur in flowers, there are plenty of adjacent tones that do—and they can work beautifully for brides or clients who embrace this colour.
For me, Mocha Mousse brings back memories of when we all painted our walls brown-greige a few years back. Sure, it matched everything, but it also had a way of making rooms feel a little dark. However, as I pulled this post together and paired Mocha Mousse with different colours, I started to appreciate its depth and versatility—and I believe it can truly elevate the look of any wedding.
In this blog post, I’ll share the best flowers that approximate the Mocha Mousse shade, clever tricks for achieving a similar effect when an exact match isn’t possible, and colour pairings that work beautifully with this neutral. When brainstorming these suggestions, I imagined a wedding with Mocha Mousse bridesmaid dresses, and the flowers in this post work well to create a sophisticated and cohesive palette with that in mind.

Disclaimer: I tried to choose the best photos from what I have, but I’ve made notes when the variety is slightly different or the colour is skewed for whatever reason. As well, this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my privacy policy. Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!
The Best Mocha Mousse Flowers
1. Amaranth
Best Variety: Hot Biscuits
This variety of amaranth can tend to run too orange, but depending on the editing of your photos, it might be just right.
2. Celosia
Best Varieties: Celway Terracotta, AVF’s Autumn Spice, or AVF’s Summer Melon Sorbet
I don’t grow very many celosia varieties because they tend not to do well here in my Zone 3 garden. While they aren’t a perfect match, the varieties listed above would be strong candidates to tie the Mocha Mousse colour into a bouquet.
3. Cosmos
Best Variety: Chocolate
I have never been able to grow these. (I think I had seeds once and definitely killed them!) I have, however, seen and smelled Chocolate cosmos in real life. They are truly beautiful and smell delicious. Though they are a bit on the darker side of the hoped-for colour, they would definitely be a fun option!
4. Dahlias
Best Varieties: Cafe au Lait, Brown Sugar, Creme de Cognac, Sweet Nathalie
Cafe au Lait dahlias will be on the lighter side of Mocha Mousse, and depending on the weather you have that growing season, they may turn out a bit pinker than hoped for.
It’s very much a stretch that a Brown Sugar dahlia will turn out to be the right colour, depending on weather and soil conditions. At worst, it has enough brown tones in it to pair and suggest the right colour. Paired with other flowers, it might give you the vibe you’re looking for.
Creme de Cognac is not a variety I personally grow, but I have purchased it from other flower farmers. It is really beautiful. It is two-toned, which makes it very versatile, and, if I remember correctly, it is a good producer and has lots of eyes on the tuber.
Sweet Nathalie dahlias are one of my favourite dahlias. They’re such a beautiful, versatile shade. In my garden, they can run a bit more pink. Like all the dahlias listed here, the colour will depend on your weather and growing conditions. I don’t mean that a flower would be wildly off its colour, but different enough that it could be a bit too warm or cool for your desired palette.
5. Dara
If you’re growing data, know that only about a third of the blooms will be the brown colour you’re hoping for. The other two-thirds will be purple (like the in-focus bloom below) or white. That being said, dara are easy to seed start and are a good cool flower option.
6. Lisianthus
Best Varieties: Rosanne Brown, Voyage 2 Champagne
Out of anything we talk about here, Rosanne Brown lisianthus and the Koko Loko roses are the best flowers to get the truest Mocha Mousse match. If you’re serious about growing these in large quantities, I would purchase plugs. Otherwise, I would grab the seeds for them right now, as I imagine more people than usual will want to grow these this year!
While Voyage 2 Champagne isn’t quite the correct colour, I feel like it’s a lighter version of Mocha Mousse in a sense and could also help tie in the colour scheme.
7. Nicotiana
Best Variety: Bronze Queen
I must confess that I have not grown this flower, though I have received it from other flower farmers. Even then, I have not tended to use it in bouquets, as it isn’t my particular vibe, but I think the brown colour is probably the third closest match to Mocha Mousse on this list after Koko Loko roses and Rosanne Brown lisianthus.
8. Orach
Best Variety: Red Plume
I love orach because you only have to plant it once, and it will self-seed forevermore. I realize for some people, this is a detractor. Even though, to my eye, it tends to be redder when you arrange it with other flowers, Red Plume orach (also known as Atriplex) definitely gives off the Mocha Mousse vibe.
9. Phlox
Best Variety: Cherry Caramel
I have never personally managed to grow this flower. Apparently, it needs a lot of pinching to get the correct stem length, but if you are able to grow it, it is so beautiful in bouquets. This is, again, a lighter version of Mocha Mousse.
10. Roses
Best Variety: Koko Loko
This is on my list of roses that I wish we could grow in Zone 3, but sadly, it is a Zone 7 rose. *Insert tears of sorrow.* This is the perfect match for Mocha Mousse, so warm climate growers rejoice! This is the only flower on the list that is not suitable for cold-climate gardeners.
Related: Heirloom Roses Canadian Review
11. Rudbeckia
Best Varieties: Sahara, Cappucino
Sahara rudbeckia comes naturally in a couple of different shades, so not every bloom will get you the desired colour, but the beige ones you sometimes get will be very close.
I have trouble growing Cappucino rudbeckia. Every year I try them, I get maybe 3 out of 50 to live. I don’t think they’re actually a hard flower to grow. I think it’s just a me problem. These are so pretty in real life, though a bit darker than the Mocha Mousse colour. This variety is long-lasting and beautiful, so it’s worth trying. The flowers pictured below skew a bit red, but they can appear more brown depending on how they’re arranged, how they’re photographed, and other factors.
12. Scabiosa
Best Variety: Fata Morgana
This scabiosa variety is on the lighter end of the Mocha Mousse spectrum. Scabiosa are really easy to seed start and are a nice cut-and-come-again flower!
13. Stock
Best Varieties: StoX Antique Rose, Vintage Brown
Both of these stock varieties have a kind of brown tone to them, and even though they may run a bit pink, I think overall, in the bouquet, they would really help bring in the Mocha Mousse vibe.
14. Sunflowers
Best Varieties: Chocolate Cherry, Procut Plum
Chocolate Cherry sunflowers are darker than the intended Mocha Mousse and can sometimes skew a bit red, but they are most often a true brown.
The Procut Plum sunflowers will be a bit too light and feel a bit more like a strawberry blonde. These are prone to dropping petals, so definitely cut more than you think you need!
Ways to Fake the Mocha Mousse Palette in Zone 3
1. Dried False Spirea
This is one of my classic tricks for getting brown into a bouquet at any time of the year. Once the false spirea is done blooming, wait for it to go brown, and cut as many stems as possible! Save for later use.
2. Corn Tassels
I’ve used corn tassels in bouquets for a long time because when a bride wants a neutral bouquet, the corn tassel colour takes down the bouquet’s palette a notch. I feel like the corn tassel will do the same thing for flowers that are too rich or too bright when you don’t have anything that quite matches the Mocha Mousse shade.
Other Colours that Pair Well with Mocha Mousse
1. Queen Lime Palette
When I started thinking of which flowers would go with Mocha Mousse, the first flowers that came to mind were Queen Lime zinnias. On their own, they don’t always look that exciting, but as soon as you pair them with literally anything, they help bring in other colours! Thus, over the years, my appreciation for these flowers has grown.
2. Lilac Palette
I still think the colour lilac will make a comeback, so I had to include it in this list. For arranging, think lilacs, Lilac Potomac snapdragons, Megan Dean dahlias, that sort of colour. I think Mocha Mousse paired with the lilac could make it a bit more sophisticated than the usual pairing of pink.
3. Peachy Palette
I feel like this palette might be the go-to for this year’s brides, as I think it is a natural fit, and peach has dominated the flower scene for the last couple of years. Think Oklahoma Peach zinnias, Peaches N’ Cream or Linda’s Baby dahlias, or Madame Bronze snapdragons.
4. Antique Autumn Palette
This palette is probably the easiest to pull off with Mocha Mousse, and if you don’t have mocha mousse itself, putting the things in this palette together will approximate it.
5. Summer Sun Palette
This is probably the most unusual pairing, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought this unusual mix could really work. Much like the lilac, this adds some sophistication to colours that are usually more playful.
Tempering Expectations
If you’re less experienced with cut flowers, it’s important to know that the colour of a flower depends on a couple of things. First and foremost, your weather conditions. Now, this doesn’t mean that a peach flower will turn blue, but it does mean that a peach flower might run a bit more pink or a little bit more orange, depending on the weather (see the photo below). This is probably the most notable with dahlias, but it also affects other plants.
I feel it needs repeating that Mocha Mousse is a very difficult colour to find in a flower. In making this list, I was almost tempted to say that you should just poorly dry out some flowers so that they end up brown. And if your bouquet is for personal use, I actually see no problem with this!!
The best way to get Mocha Mousse in your wedding is to have fabric with that colour and compliment it with the flowers because there is no guarantee that the flowers you grow or order from a local florist will run true to colour. Know that even if your flowers aren’t exactly the shade you hoped for in real life, how your photographer edits your photos will also influence your experience of the colours and how you remember your special day!
If you liked this blog post, find me on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for more cold-climate vegetable gardening tips, delicious recipes, and cut flower goodness! I also make weekly videos over on my YouTube channel. I hope to see you there!
WANT TO LEARN THE SECRETS TO ARRANGING A BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET, EVERY TIME?
Bouquets Made Beautiful includes a collection of my best bouquets of all sizes, throughout all seasons, including a flower-by-flower list with pictures for every single one! I also share my favourite colour palettes that I return to over and over again. Whether you’re a backyard gardener or a farmer florist, this highly visual ebook will help you create better-looking bouquets and give you more confidence that you’re growing the right things.
If you’re planning for an event and ready to take your flower farming to the next level, this ebook is also available in the DIY Wedding Bundle alongside Cut Flowers Made Simple and the Flower Farmer Garden Planner.
Join the conversation