Growing strawflowers for cut flower arrangements and to dry

If you’re looking for the perfect flower for drying, strawflowers are an enduring, visually interesting choice. The first time I grew them in my own garden, I dried out some of the papery blooms I picked in the summer, carefully stored them throughout the fall, and then pulled them out to decorate my holiday yule log in the winter. It was so satisfying to see them perched in the icing of my cake, looking like the day I snipped them in the garden. In this article, I’ll explain how to grow strawflowers from seed, as well as the best time to harvest them for arrangements and drying.

Strawflowers (Bracteantha bracteata) are part of the Asteraceae family and native to Australia. They are sometimes called everlasting daisies or paper daisies—which are also part of the aster genus. Because of how easily they are dried for arrangements, strawflowers are part of a category of plants referred to as everlastings. The petals you see are actually bracts that protect the flowers in the center of the bloom until they open.

Strawflowers are available in a variety of colors, from oranges and yellows to pinks and deep reds. When buying seeds, many companies offer multicolored mixes, so that you will get a few colors and you don’t have to choose. You can also find dwarf varieties that work well in pots or small spaces. No matter the variety, they attract pollinators.

Where to plant strawflowers

Strawflowers are pretty drought tolerant, so a great choice for a lower-maintenance summer garden. They don’t mind poorer soils, but the soil must drain well. Strawflower plants thrive in full sun, but will tolerate a little part shade. Plant them in a cut flower garden or enjoy them among your perennials.

Add strawflowers to raised beds with the rest of your vegetable crops, if you are simply growing them for harvesting. Wherever you plan to grow them, keep in mind plants can reach one to five feet tall.

Strawflowers also are cold tolerant once the plants get going. They can withstand a light frost. I’ve had blooms all the way through October in my zone 6b garden.

Growing strawflower plants from seed indoors

About six weeks before your region’s last frost date, sow strawflower seeds indoors. Fill a seed-starting tray with pre-moistened soilless mix. Sow seeds thinly and sprinkle a bit of soil on top. Keep the soil moist but not too soggy. Until they germinate, I use a mister to avoid washing the seeds away.

Transplant seedlings when they are a few inches tall and keep them about two inches apart. After all threat of frost has passed, and the soil temperature has warmed, harden off your seedlings before planting them.

If you happened to grab annual seedlings, be sure the weather is warm enough, as mentioned above, dig a small hole and add your transplants to the garden.

Direct sowing strawflower seeds

You can also direct sow seeds in the garden once the danger of frost has passed. Scatter seeds in garden beds amended with compost or plant them in pots filled with potting mix. Keep the soil moist. You may need to thin seedlings if there are too many plants close together. Plants should be about six to eight inches (15 to 20 centimeters) apart.

You can also direct sow seeds in container gardens to be displayed on porches or balconies. Well-drained soil is important, so make sure the pots have adequate drainage holes.

When to harvest strawflowers for drying

What I love about strawflowers is they keep their shape and color long after they’ve been dried. Strawflowers that have opened will start to close up at the end of the day. It’s best to harvest dry blooms in the morning on a sunny day, so you can tell if they’re ready or past their prime. Look for flowers where only some of the bracts have started to unfurl.

Using a sharp pair of hand pruners, make your cut above a leaf node, leaving a long stem so that you can hang the flowers. The plant should continue to produce buds.

Carefully remove the leaves from the stem. Tie a piece of twine around your bouquets of strawflowers, and hang them upside down out of direct sunlight. I hang all my bunches of herbs and flowers that I want to dry off a curtain rod in my dining room.

Keep in mind that if the flowers have started to open, they will continue to open after they’ve been cut. Cut strawflowers when the bracts in the center are still closed up tight, concealing the flower beneath.

Strawflowers are not edible, but they can be used as ornaments to top cakes. Or, use them in dried flower arrangements with other everlasting flowers.

Other annuals to grow for cut flowers

• Sweet peas
• Zinnias
• Sunflowers
• Rudbeckia
• Cosmos