What flower is the strawflower? Everlasting flower and "beixigong" are both its other names.

Latin name: Helichrysum bracteatum

Other names: strawflower, beixigong

Family and genus: Asteraceae

Origin:

Native to Australia, now widely cultivated in countries around the world.

Characteristics:

Herbaceous, plant height 70-120 cm, stems stout and rough, seemingly hairy, leaves linear or lanceolate, capitulum solitary at the tip of branches, flower diameter 3-6 cm, the petals at the edge of the disc are multiple layers of involucral bracts surrounding the capitulum, the outer bracts are short and arranged in an imbricate pattern, the inner several layers of bracts elongate into petal-like forms, pale red or yellow, thickened and greenish at the base, dry and hard, resembling the nature of straw, hence the name strawflower; the florets cluster into a yellow flower disc, about 2 cm in diameter. Flower colors include white, pale red, rose red, purple red, as well as pale yellow, deep yellow to deep maroon.

Habits:

Prefers a warm environment with plenty of sunlight.

Not drought-tolerant, and avoid extreme heat. When sunlight is insufficient or during peak summer heat, growth is poor or stops, and flowering is poor or very sparse.

Prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soil; clay loam is suitable.

Propagation and cultivation:

Propagated by sowing. In spring, seeds can be sown in outdoor seedbeds, or in early spring sown in pots in hotbeds or greenhouses. The suitable germination temperature is about 15-20°C. After sowing, the soil covering should not be too thick; seedlings emerge in about 1 week, germinating evenly. After one transplanting of the seedlings, they can be planted out when they have 7-8 leaves. To encourage branching and more flowering, pinching can be done 2-3 times during the growing period. About 3 months after sowing, they begin to bloom; a single flower lasts as long as 1 month, and each plant can bloom successively for as long as 3-4 months. Seeds should be collected promptly to prevent them from scattering. After collecting, the seeds should be dried in the shade and stored in a cool, dry place. Seed viability is 2-3 years or more.

Methods for collecting and preparing dried flowers:

Before the flowers are half-open, cut the flowering stems, remove the leaves, tie them in bunches and hang them upside down in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place.

Uses:

The colors are brilliant and glossy; 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.

Dwarf varieties of the strawflower can be used as flowerbed material or grown in pots for ornamental viewing.

Zhen