Strawflower

Strawflower is an attractive warm-weather annual or short lived perennial with daisy-like flowerheads in yellow, pink, bronze, cream, purple or white. The plant has thin, lance shaped, grayish green leaves 2 - 5 in. long. Strawflower is an excellent plant for summer. The flowerheads are about 2" and it gets its name from the papery flowers that look like straw.

Strawflowers prefer a dry, well-drained soil because they doesn't like wet feet. Water when soil becomes dry. This plant can be grown way down in zone 11. It can handle a light to moderate frost, but I did cover mine during the January freezes just to be sure. The perennial forms usually only last for 2 to 3 years. For annuals, propagate from seeds on the top of the soil. Don't cover them because they need light to germinate. If you have the perennial version, you can take tip cuttings in spring and summer.

Use strawflower in beds and borders, especially on a hillside, or as edging, in containers and window boxes. Also known as Everlasting, strawflowers are excellent choices for dried flower arrangements because they dry while keeping their color and shape. Cut stems just as the flowerheads begin to open. Hang them upside-down in a warm, airy place to dry.

Sir Joseph Banks brought H. bracteatum back from Australia, where it was a great hit during the Victorian age. People had a flower that would withstand their hot, stuffy parlors, according to “Flowers and How They Got Their Names” by Diana Wells. In the language of flowers, it stands for never-ceasing remembrance.

February 24, 2002 - I found another Strawflower plant today at Target. It's called Sundaze and it has pink and white flowers. Picture to come as soon as the buds open.