Plant Spotlight: Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum)

This might be one of the most satisfying flowers you can grow.

In photos, strawflower can look a bit unassuming. Sort of mum-adjacent. But look closer - or better yet, see one in person - and you’ll notice the oddity of those paper-like petals. It’s as if cellophane met tissue paper and birthed a flower. Brush the petals with your fingers and you get the most delightful ASMR-worthy crinkle.

A genuine joy.

Why Strawflower Is So Satisfying

But dare I proclaim the best part?

I do.

Strawflowers dry perfectly. Simply hang them upside down for a couple of weeks in a well-ventilated space where they won’t get wet. The color they dry to is nearly identical to how they looked fresh.

Your hibernating winter self will thank your foresighted summer self when these brighten up a much-too-lived-in living room. And there’s no sustainability guilt; these flowers came from your backyard. You grew them. They didn’t travel thousands of air miles or arrive coated in mystery chemicals.

How to Grow Strawflower From Seed

And speaking of growing: strawflower is one of the easy ones to start from seed.

They’re perfect for beginner gardeners and seed enthusiasts alike. Follow the seed packet instructions, and they’ll germinate reliably and grow steadily throughout the season. By late summer, you’ll be harvesting armfuls of blooms.

To keep flowers coming, be sure to deadhead regularly. The more you cut, the more they produce.

A Flower Worth Planning For

If you’re planning your flower garden or deciding what to grow from seed this season, make room for strawflower. Between the texture, the longevity, and the dried bouquets that carry you through winter, it’s a plant that gives far more than it asks.

I think you’ll be glad you did.

Happy growing, y’all 🌼