Straw flower

White

Straw flower is popular for dried flower arrangements, but is also worth a place in the garden. It flowers mainly in the Summer but as the flowers last for a long time, the plant seems to be always in bloom. In warmer areas, the plant even keeps its flowers through Winter, providing a handy splash of colour in an otherwise drab season.

The flowers are available in a wide range of colours, from white to pink, red, yellow, orange and all the colours in between. Straw flower is so named because its petals are dry and hard. Wetting (from rain) causes them to close temporarily until the Sun dries them out again. For drying, cut the flower buds just as they start to open, then hang up side down in a cool dark place for the stems to dry out.

Usually grown as an annual, it is actually a short lived perennial in warmer areas.

Click on any picture to enlarge.

See also:  Composite Flowers

Pink Pink opening Pink Pink

Pink Dark Pink Dark Pink Orange

Yellow Yellow Yellow Yellow

Yellow Yellow Yellow Yellow

Brown Bud White White / Cream Orange

Red When the flower gets wet, it closes into a ball, but will open again once it is dry. Red Group Pink Group