Strawflower Camargue seeds - Xerochrysum bracteatum

The mix of Everlasting flowers 'Camargue' offers flowers in shades ranging from pale pink to dark pink. These flowers composed of pearly bracts with a papery texture are irreplaceable in dried bouquets. Sow Helichrysum bracteatum in spring and it blooms all summer. It is a drought-tolerant, sun-loving plant. It fits well in flower beds, borders, or vegetable gardens. Everlasting flowers can be sown under cover in March-April, or in April-May directly in the ground.

Xerochrysum bracteatum, a tender perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, is native to Australia. It is often grown as an annual in our climates due to its sensitivity to frost. Also known as bract immortelle, it is sometimes called Helichrysum bracteatum or Bracteantha bracteata. The 'Camargue' selection offers, between July and October, flowers about 4 cm in diameter, in a delightful range of pink tones. The colourful bracts retain their brightness for years. To harvest them, cut them before they fully open, then hang them upside down in a dry, dark place to dry. After removing the leaves, you can create beautiful dried flower bouquets.

'Camargue' have a bushy habit, reaching between 60 and 80 cm in height. Their stems are erect, branched, and slightly hairy. These relatively rigid stems allow the plant to stand upright. The lanceolate, narrow leaves measure between 5 and 10 cm in length. They are dark green, with a slightly rough texture. It is the flowers that give Xerochrysum bracteatum its reputation. They are heads, composed of numerous small fertile yellow flowers in the centre, surrounded by colourful bracts. These bracts, resembling petals, are thin, stiff, and shiny, like paper, allowing the flowers to retain their beauty even after drying. Xerochrysum bracteatum has a shallow root system, making it sensitive to prolonged dry periods. However, it tolerates poor soils as long as they are well-drained.

Sow 'Camargue' in the vegetable garden with other cut flowers, in a flower bed or a well-exposed border, in any well-drained soil. Mix them with other flowers for drying, including 'Forever Mix' Statice, Gypsophila 'Bristol Fairy' forming a white cloud, and the globe amaranth 'Qis Formula Mix' with small round pompoms in purple, pink, or white.