Strawflower

Strawflower: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright, branching annual 60–90 cm tall and about 30 cm wide.

Leaves

Lance-shaped, 5–10 cm long, grey-green and rough to slightly hairy.

Flower

Flowers of 3–6 cm with glossy, papery bracts around a yellow centre, from July to October.

Colour

Yellow, orange, red, pink, white or purple; double forms exist too.

Roots

Fibrous and fairly shallow; plants from pots establish readily.

Flowering: July–October · Sowing: March–May · Plants: May–June

Why grow it?

• Glossy, papery flowers in warm colours from July to October.
• Ideal for drying: the flowers keep their shape and colour for years.
• Loves sun and dry, poor soil where many other summer flowers fail.
• Bees and other insects visit the flowers.
• Good as a cut flower for fresh and dried bouquets.

Strawflower: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: the sunnier, the richer the flowering.
• Well-drained, poor sandy or loamy soil, neutral to chalky.
• Dry to normal: it dislikes wet feet and tolerates drought well.
• Allow 25–30 cm between plants; stake tall varieties in windy spots.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.8 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Frost tender: plant out after the last frost (mid-May)

Goes well with

• Annual everlasting: A second everlasting in pink and purple, in the same dry, sunny soil.
• Zinnia: Warm colours that feel at home in the same sun.
• Cosmos: Airy flowers and fine foliage beside the firm, glossy blooms.
• Baby’s breath: Clouds of white among the bright colours.
• Lavender: Scented leaves and blue spikes in full sun.

Strawflower: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May–June.

1. Sow indoors in March–April in a bright place at 18–21 °C; barely cover the seed, as it germinates in light.
2. Prick out the seedlings once they have two true leaves and grow them on in pots.
3. If you prefer to sow in place, do so in May in a sunny spot and thin to 25–30 cm.
4. Plant out from late May to June, when frost is no longer a risk, 25–30 cm apart.
5. Water in at once and pinch out the tip above the third pair of leaves for bushy growth.
6. Tie tall varieties to a stake or twigs in windy spots.

Care

Water

Little: water in long dry spells and especially in pots. Too much water makes the plants floppy and rot.

Feeding

Little or none. On rich soil it grows floppy and flowers less.

Pinching out

Pinch out young plants at 15–20 cm: this gives more branching and so more flowers.

Deadheading

Cut them off or pick them for bouquets: new buds keep forming.

Harvesting for drying

Pick the flowers when half open, strip the leaves, tie them in bunches and hang them upside down in an airy, dark place.

Tip: Pick the flowers for drying when half open and hang them upside down in an airy place. It loves sun and poor, dry soil.

Strawflower: when to prune it?

When: It is not pruned; pinch out young plants and pick or cut the flowers during flowering.

How:

• Pinch out the tip of young plants at 15–20 cm for bushy growth.
• Pick or cut flowers with a long stem, just above a pair of leaves, for bouquets or for drying.
• Cut off faded flowers for longer flowering.
• After the first frost, pull up the whole plant.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Sowing indoors

In March–April in trays or pots with seed compost. Scatter the seed on the surface, barely cover it and keep moist at 18–21 °C; it germinates in about 1–2 weeks.

Sowing in place

In May in a sunny, dry spot. Thin to 25–30 cm; flowering starts a little later than with plants raised in advance.

Strawflower: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 0 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• An annual and frost-tender: the plant dies at the first frost.
• It does not overwinter outdoors; keep seed for next year or buy new plants.
• Keep dried flowers dry and dark at an even temperature to preserve their colour.

Diseases and pests

• Aphids: On young shoots and buds. Rinse with water or let ladybirds do their work.
• Slugs: Young plants are nibbled. Use iron phosphate pellets or collect them in the evening.
• Grey mould: Grey mould on flowers and stems in damp weather. Leave space between plants and cut off affected parts.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in a close summer. Water at the base and ensure air circulation.
• Floppy stems: Caused by too much feed or shade. Plant in full sun in poor soil.

Through the year

• March: Sow indoors in a bright place at 18–21 °C.
• April: Prick out seedlings and grow them on in pots.
• May: Harden off and plant out. Sow in place.
• June: Pinch out plants. Add supports if needed.
• July: First flowers. Pick flowers for drying.
• August: Full flower. Keep picking and cut off faded flowers.
• September: Flowering. Bring dried flowers indoors.
• October: Last flowers. Clear up after the first frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• It used to be called Helichrysum bracteatum; the name Xerochrysum means ‘dry gold’ in Greek.
• The ‘petals’ are really dry bracts; the true tiny flowers are in the yellow centre.
• In the wild it grows in Australia, usually as a short-lived perennial, mostly with yellow or orange flowers; in our gardens it is an annual.