How to Grow Strawflowers: The Everlasting Annual That Dries Without Wilting
A colorful member of the aster family, strawflowers are easy to grow and a pollinator favorite, they'll be your "everlasting" favorite, too!
Quick Reference: Strawflowers
- Botanical name: Xerochrysum bracteatum (formerly Helichrysum bracteatum).
- What makes them special: the colorful ‘petals’ are actually papery bracts that dry without wilting. Last for years in dried arrangements.
- USDA zones: grown as annual everywhere. Native to Australia. Sow indoors 6 weeks before last frost.
- Best harvest for drying: cut when buds just begin to open. Hang upside down 2 to 3 weeks.
- Tool: the Almanac’s Best Days planting calendar.
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Related Almanac guides
Strawflowers are one of the few annuals that look as good dried as they do fresh. The bright papery ‘petals’ are actually colorful bracts (modified leaves) that retain their shape and color for years after cutting. The flower has been used in dried arrangements, wreaths, and ornaments for centuries. This guide is how to start strawflowers from seed, when to harvest for drying, and the simple drying technique that preserves them perfectly.
How to Start Strawflower Seed
Per UMN Extension’s annual flower guidance.
- When: indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost; direct outdoors 1 week before last frost.
- Depth: sprinkle seeds on surface, press lightly. Light helps germination. Do NOT cover.
- Temperature: 70 to 75 F. Germination in 7 to 14 days.
- Transplant out: after last frost, full sun, well-drained soil.
- Spacing: 9 to 12 inches between plants.
How to Dry Strawflowers (the Right Way)
Per Royal Horticultural Society dried-flower guidance.
- Cut at the right moment: just as buds begin to open and show color. Fully open flowers fall apart during drying.
- Strip lower leaves. Leaves rot faster than flowers.
- Bundle in groups of 5 to 7 stems. Loosely tie at the stems with twine.
- Hang upside down in a dark dry well-ventilated room. Attic or garage works well.
- 2 to 3 weeks. Flowers are ready when stems are completely dry and bracts feel papery.
- Store in a cardboard box. Out of direct light. Will last 2 to 4 years with full color retention.
Strawflower Growing and Drying (Detail)
Below are the original sections on what strawflowers are, symbolism, planting tips, drying method, indoor seed starting, and pollinator notes.
Start Seeds Indoors
Strawflower can be sown directly into the garden after all threat of frost has passed, although this method is not recommended for short-season gardens for a couple of reasons. Maturity for most strawflower varieties is around 85 days, which would limit the bloom time for more northerly growers. Secondly, seed germination is optimal above 70 degrees, which can be difficult to achieve in the spring, again, for those of us in northerly climes.
The most reliable way to grow strawflowers is to start seeds indoors, three to six weeks before the last frost. Light is needed for germination, so do not cover the seeds with soil. After the first true leaves appear, transplant to a larger container until the threat of frost has passed, then transplant the seedlings to the garden, spacing plants 10 to 12 inches apart.
Strawflowers should be treated as an annual, although there are perennial varieties. They are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 10 where they can reach up to five feet in height, making them a great addition to your cutting flower garden. Occasionally, plants may reseed themselves, although cultivars will not grow true from self-seeding.
Pollinators Love Them!
And you won’t be the only one to appreciate them, many of our pollinator friends, such as butterflies, bees, and hoverflies are highly attracted to strawflowers. In fact, we include them in our list of flowers to plant to attract butterflies to your garden!
Don’t forget to check our Gardening by the Moon planner to pick the best day to start seeds!
Strawflowers FAQ
Are strawflowers annuals or perennials?
In USDA zones 3 to 8 strawflowers are grown as annuals (frost kills them). In zones 9 to 11 they can survive as short-lived perennials. The plant is native to Australia, where it grows year-round.
When should I plant strawflowers?
Indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Transplant outdoors after last frost in full sun and well-drained soil. Direct sowing outdoors works in the lower 48 if done 1 week before last frost.
Why are my strawflowers not blooming?
Most common cause: too rich soil. Strawflowers bloom best in lean well-drained soil. Excessive nitrogen produces lush foliage but few flowers. Second most common cause: too much shade. Strawflowers need 6+ hours direct sun.
When should I cut strawflowers for drying?
Just as the buds begin to open and show color. Fully open flowers do not dry as well; partially open buds give the best dried result. Cut on a dry morning after dew has lifted.
How long do dried strawflowers last?
2 to 4 years with full color retention if stored in a cardboard box out of direct light. Direct sunlight fades the bracts to dull cream over time. The flowers themselves remain structurally intact for many years.
Janine Pineo
Janine Pineo has been gardening all her life in Maine and writing about it for more than two decades. More of her writing can be found on her website, GardenMaine.com.
- Janine Pineo
- Janine Pineo
- Janine Pineo
- Janine Pineo
RE Snow 6 weeks after thunderstorms. We have had rain here in NEPA,but no thunder have I heard all summer. Maybe we won’t have snow?
Thank you for this information. I am very interested in trying out this flower in my garden which is sunny and hot as hades, north Texas…
Thank you for the information Janine. It is much appreciated. I love strawflowers and pretty much all the others! Regards to you.