Common name: Strawflower

Strawflower is a flowering shrub native to Australia and widely distributed there, with its natural range extending from the warm-temperate south, through the arid centre, to the dry tropics in the north.

It is a short-lived perennial, commonly 30 to 90 cm (1 to 3 ft) tall and shrubby. The base is woody and partially hidden underneath a wide-spreading, rounded crown of foliage and flowers. It also has an annual form, but it requires long days to initiate flowering and is therefore not suited to the subtropics or tropics.

Leaves are lance-shaped, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) long, dull green, smooth-margined, somewhat velvety to touch and are arranged alternately along the stems. 

The flowers are large, brightly coloured and held on long stems above the foliage. Through selective breeding, they come in various shapes and colours, including pinks, reds, purples, yellows, and whites. They bloom mainly from winter to spring in subtropical and tropical climates, though they can also bloom continuously with proper care and maintenance.

Material uses

Cut-flower - Flower stems are cut for fresh arrangements. The flowering stems are stripped of leaves that would be submerged, and a preservative is added to the vase water to keep them fresh for longer. If stored or transported, they should be kept cool at 4 to 8°C (39 to 46°F).

Dried flowers and foliage - Good-quality dried flowers are produced by hanging bunches of still-budding, but not yet fully open, flower heads upside down in a dry, airy room for a few weeks. The flower heads are said to keep their colour and shape for months, sometimes up to a year. However, they need wiring for vase arrangements because the dried stems do not last as long.

Environmental uses

Groundcover - Strawflower is also cultivated as a groundcover...

Flowering ornamental - ...and to add colour to garden beds and containers.

Melbourne, Australia

Climate

The perennial form grows and flowers naturally in subtropical and sub-humid tropical climates, generally areas with annual lows of 9 to 20°C, annual highs of 21 to 32°C, annual rainfall of 500 to 1400 mm and a dry season of 4 to 7 months. 

Although they also grow in humid tropical highland climates with no dry season, the plants are more susceptible to fungal disease caused by humid conditions.

Growing

New plants can be grown from seed or semi-woody cuttings, which strike or root easily. Growth and flowering are best in rich, manured, quick-draining sand soils that are slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, generally with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5, and in sites with full to partial sun exposure.

Regular light pruning helps maintain good shape, and cutting the flower stems encourages more flowering and prolongs the blooming period. It has a good flowering habit for around three years, then becomes woody and unproductive, requiring its replacement.

Problem features

In Australia, it is recorded as having escaped cultivation and a weed of the environment. Still, it is not classed as a serious weed anywhere. It is assessed as a low weed risk species for Florida by the IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas.

Books

• Jones, R. 2001, Caring for cut flowers, 2nd ed, Landlinks Press, Victoria, Australia

• Mackey, B. & Brandies, M. M., 2001, A cutting garden for Florida : grow marvelous flowers for bouquets in your Florida home landscape, 3rd edition, revised and expanded, B.B. Mackey Books, Wayne, Pennsylvania

• Randall, R. P. 2002, A global compendium of weeds, R.G. and F.J. Richardson Press, Melbourne

• Randall, R. P. 2007, The introduced flora of Australia and its weed status, Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed Management, Glen Osmond, South Australia

Articles, Journals, Reports and Working Papers

• Gollnow, B. 2013, Getting Started in Wildflower Growing : How to grow native Australian and South African species for the cut flower market, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Canberra, Australian Capital Territory