| Description | Strawflowers are one of the easiest flowers to dry. Monster Lemon has large yellow flowers on a tall plant. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (brak-tee-A-tum) |
| Plant Type | All Plants, Annuals |
| Sunlight | full |
| Moisture | average, somewhat drought tolerant once established |
| Soil & Site | average |
| Flowers | 2-2.5 inch lemon yellow, have no true petals, papery bracts make up most of the flower that is seen, true flower parts emerge in the center of the papery bracts. |
| Dimensions | up to 36" |
| Maintenance | To dry: cut the flowers with a 6-10 inch stem (or longer),cut before the flower in the center is open, remove leaves, hang upside down to dry, once properly dried will last along time |
| Propagation | easy by seeds and grown as transplants, can be seeded in situ |
| Native Site | Bracteantha is native to Australia. |
| Misc Facts | Strawflowers have been around a long time. In England it was cultivated in 1799. Selections were being made in the early to mid 1800's. (syn: Xerochrysum bracteatum, Helichrysum bracteatum) |
| Author's Notes | To me the most important thing about drying Straw Flowers is to cut and dry them before the flower is to advanced. |
| Notes & Reference | #28-Cottage Garden Annuals(Clive Lane), #51-Armitage's Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials (Alan Arimitage), #109-Annuals and Tender Perennials for North American Gardens (Wayne Winterroud) |
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