Can Italian strawflower be brewed as tea? A detailed guide to its benefits and growing methods
Italian strawflower, also called curry plant, is a perennial of the Asteraceae family with brilliant yellow flowers, and is often also called Italian everlasting. Italian strawflower can be used to make essential oil, and it has certain medicinal value. Below we will look at how to grow Italian strawflower.
Growing conditions for Italian strawflower:
1. Sunlight: sunny spots, semi-sunny spots.
2. Watering amount: a small amount.
3. Sowing time: it rarely sets fruit, so it is generally propagated by cuttings.
4. Winter care: in winter it needs to be grown indoors.
5. Pests and diseases: pests and diseases are uncommon.
6. Recommended pot size: a pot more than 1.5 times larger than a basic flower box is recommended.
Growing methods for Italian strawflower:
1. Take an Italian strawflower seedling bought at the flower market and, after a few days, transplant it into a soil pot mixed with sandy loam.
2. After separating the pots you can see the yellow leaves growing inside. Removing these yellow leaves helps with airflow.
3. After removing the yellow leaves you will see new shoots growing below; once these new shoots grow larger they can become another plant.
4. When the stems and leaves become lush, pruning is needed. Trimming it into the shape you have in mind will give you the effect you like.
5. Use the cut branches for cuttings or dry them in the sun to use as a spice. Italian strawflower has a very high success rate for cuttings.
6. Although it does not flower easily, if it receives good light in summer it can also produce yellow flowers.
Benefits of Italian strawflower:
Italian strawflower has an insect-repelling effect, and is also very effective against inflammation and depression. It is basically not eaten, and is mostly used for ornament. After the leaves dry they can be used to repel insects, can also be used to make incense material, and can also be used as a spice in cooking.
The above is the growing method and benefits of Italian strawflower compiled by the Huinong website editors. Because Italian strawflower is not prone to pests and diseases, it can also be grown on a balcony. It is best to let it receive plenty of light. Even when the leaves dry up they do not change color.
How to grow strawflower: morphological characteristics of strawflower
Strawflower has a relatively large plant type, abundant blooms, brilliant colors, and a rich, delicate fragrance, and can be grown as a potted ornamental. So how do you grow strawflower? What characteristics does it have? Next, Xiao Qi introduces this method of growing strawflower and the morphological characteristics of strawflower.
I. How to grow strawflower
In spring it can be sown in an open-field seedbed, or in early spring sown in pots in a hotbed or greenhouse. The suitable germination temperature is about 15-20°C. After sowing, the soil covering should not be thick; it emerges in about 1 week, germinating evenly. After one transplant of the seedlings, they can be planted out when they have 7-8 leaves. To encourage branching and more blooms, pinch out the growing tips 2-3 times during the growing period. After sowing, after about 3 months of cultivation, it can begin to bloom; a single flower lasts as long as 1 month, and each plant blooms in succession for as long as 3-4 months.
In southern regions, sow and raise seedlings in February-March; in northern regions, in March-April. Sow at a depth of 0.3-0.5 cm, keep the seedling soil moist, maintain the temperature at 15-30°C, seedlings emerge in 5-7 days, and once the seedlings have 5-7 leaves they can be transplanted with soil. For pot cultivation choose a pot with a diameter of 15-25 cm, planting 1 plant per pot; for flower beds and open fields, plant with a row spacing of 60-80 cm and a plant spacing of 20-25 cm. After planting, water thoroughly, then water again once dry; water quickly and drain quickly so no water remains at the roots. In the rainy season, drain water to prevent waterlogging. From planting the seedlings to flowering takes 50-55 days. Normally, dig holes away from the seedling roots and bury decomposed poultry and livestock manure or a multi-element fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, applying small amounts several times. In dry seasons red spider mites easily appear, and in rainy seasons cabbage caterpillars and similar pests easily appear, damaging the leaves or flowers; highly efficient, low-toxicity pesticides such as "Kung Fu" or "Mie Saoli" at 1500 times dilution should be used to spray the leaves and flowers.
II. Morphological characteristics of strawflower
Strawflower is an annual or biennial herb. The stem is upright, 20-120 cm tall, with branches upright or ascending. The leaves are long lanceolate to linear, up to 12 cm long, smooth or rough, with entire margins, gradually narrowing at the base, pointed at the upper end, with the main vein obvious. The flower heads are 2-5 cm in diameter, borne singly at the ends of the branches. The outer bracts of the involucre are short, arranged in overlapping tile-like layers; the inner ones are long, broadly lanceolate, thick at the base, tapering to a point at the tip, glossy, yellow or white, red, purple. The florets are numerous; the pappus has nearly feathery rough hairs. The achene is hairless.
III. Main value of strawflower
Ornamental value: the colors are brilliant and glossy, and after drying the flower shape and flower color remain unchanged and do not fade for a long time, making it most suitable for cutting as "dried flowers" for indoor decoration in winter. Method for harvesting dried flowers: before the flowers are half open, cut the flowering branches, remove the leaves, tie them in bundles and hang them upside down in a dry, cool, ventilated place. Dwarf varieties of strawflower can be used as flower bed material or grown as potted ornamentals.
The above ishow to grow strawflowerand an introduction to the morphological characteristics of strawflower; we hope it is helpful for everyone growing strawflower. Friends who do not like pot cultivation can make strawflower into dried flowers.
Strawflower
Strawflower is an annual or biennial herb. The stem is upright, 20-120 cm tall, with branches upright or ascending. The leaves are long lanceolate to linear, up to 12 cm long, smooth or rough, with entire margins, gradually narrowing at the base, pointed at the upper end, with the main vein obvious. The flower heads are 2-5 cm in diameter, borne singly at the ends of the branches. The outer bracts of the involucre are short, arranged in overlapping tile-like layers; the inner ones are long, broadly lanceolate, thick at the base, tapering to a point at the tip, glossy, yellow or white, red, purple. The florets are numerous; the pappus has nearly feathery rough hairs. The achene is hairless.
Chinese scientific name: Curry plant
Latin scientific name: Helichrysum bracteatum (Vent.) Andr.
Other names: wheat straw chrysanthemum, seven-color chrysanthemum
Binomial name: Helichrysum bracteatum
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiosperms
Class: Dicotyledoneae
Subclass: Sympetalae
Order: Campanulales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Tubuliflorae
Tribe: Inuleae
Genus: Helichrysum
Species: Strawflower
Distribution area: native to Australia, widely cultivated in Southeast Asia, Europe and America