Statice

Statice: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Annual 40–60 cm tall and 25–30 cm wide, with a rosette at the base and winged stems.

Leaves

Rosette leaves 10–15 cm long, wavy, deeply lobed and dark green; the species name sinuatum means ‘wavy’.

Flowers

Papery, coloured calyces in blue, purple, pink, yellow or white; the true flowers are small and inconspicuous.

Stem

Sturdy and winged, branching at the top into a loose, flat cluster.

Use

Cut and dried flower; the calyces keep their colour after drying.

Flowering: July–September · Sowing: February–March · Plants: May

Why grow it?

• Long flowering from July into September in bright, saturated colours.
• An excellent cut flower that stays good for weeks in a vase.
• Ideal for drying: the colour lasts for years.
• Tolerates drought, full sun and lean soil, even at the coast.
• Bees and bumblebees visit the little flowers.

Statice: where does it grow best?

• Full sun; in shade the plant stays floppy and flowers sparsely.
• Well-drained soil: sand or loam, acid to chalky. Never in wet, heavy clay.
• Dry; it tolerates drought very well and dislikes wet feet.
• Keep 25–30 cm between plants, in groups or rows for cut flowers.
• Also suits large pots and containers with sandy potting compost.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Tolerates light frost (to -5 °C)

Goes well with

• Gypsophila: Light white clouds among the coloured statice.
• Zinnia: Bright colours in the same sunny cutting garden.
• Fountain grass: An ornamental grass with plumes that frames statice softly.
• Coneflower: Big flowers in warm colours next to the small clusters.

Statice: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May.

1. Sow in February–March indoors at 18–20 °C in seed compost; the seed germinates in one to three weeks.
2. Cover the seed at most lightly and keep the compost moist, not wet.
3. Prick the seedlings out into small pots as soon as they have two true leaves.
4. Harden the plants off in May: outdoors by day, indoors at night.
5. Plant out in May 25–30 cm apart, at the same depth as in the pot.
6. Water in straight away, then only in a long drought.

Care

Water

Little. Only in the first weeks after planting and in long droughts; too much water causes rot.

Feeding

Sparingly: too much feed gives lots of leaf and few flowers. One light feed is enough.

Picking

Picking regularly keeps it flowering longer and gives more stems.

Weeding

Keep the soil around the rosettes free of weeds.

Support

The sturdy stems usually need no support; on a windy site a light support helps.

Tip: Pick the stems on a dry morning, when the little flowers are almost open, and hang them upside down straight away in a dark, airy place: the colour then keeps best.

Statice: when to prune it?

When: Pruning is not needed. Pick the stems from July for bouquets and clear the plants in autumn.

How:

• Pick or cut the stems just above the rosette, when the little flowers are almost open.
• Take the stems indoors straight away and strip off the leaves.
• Cut spent or brown stems off at the base.
• Clear the plants after the first frost.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Sowing

In February–March indoors at 18–20 °C (see planting). Seed is sold by seed merchants in single colours or as a mix.

Saving seed

Let a few stems ripen fully on the plant and dry the seeds. Colours may then vary a little.

Statice: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −5 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy (to about −5 °C): in Belgium it is grown as an annual.
• After the first frost clear the plants; in very mild winters a sheltered plant may shoot again.
• Store dried flowers in a dry, dark place to prevent fading.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in humid, muggy weather. Give plants room, water at the base and cut off affected leaves.
• Grey mould: Grey fuzz on flowers and stems in a wet summer. Remove affected parts and plant widely.
• Root rot: Limp, yellowed plants on wet soil. Ensure well-drained soil and water less.
• Aphids: On young shoots and flower clusters. Spray with water; ladybirds help.

Through the year

• February: Sow indoors at 18–20 °C.
• March: Sow and prick out.
• April: Grow on in a bright spot. Start hardening off.
• May: Plant out after the last night frost, 25–30 cm apart.
• June: Weed. Water in dry weather.
• July: Flowering begins. Pick for bouquets and drying.
• August: Full flower. Pick and dry regularly.
• September: Last flowers. Let seed ripen.
• October: Clear the plants after the first frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The coloured ‘petals’ are really calyces; the true flowers are small and inconspicuous.
• The species name sinuatum means ‘wavy’ and refers to the wavy edge of the leaves.
• The genus Limonium takes its name from the Greek word for meadow: many species grow in salt marshes along the coast.