Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Strawflower bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Strawflower, everlasting flower, paper daisy (Helichrysum bracteatum).

More about strawflower

About Strawflower

Helichrysum bracteatum · also called Strawflower, everlasting flower · flowering

An iconic Australian annual grown for its brilliantly coloured, papery bracts in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, and white. Strawflower is the classic everlasting for dried arrangements, retaining its colour and form indefinitely when cut and hung upside-down to dry. It thrives in full sun, poor soil, and heat.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Botrytis (grey mould) on bracts: Papery bracts trap moisture and are prone to botrytis in wet or humid conditions. Pick blooms for drying before they are fully open; improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering.

The reasons strawflower isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming strawflower traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding strawflower a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get strawflower to flower

Maximise sun. Give strawflower the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for strawflower and get the feeding right with the strawflower fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Strawflower flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full strawflower care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Strawflower blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my strawflower flower?

Strawflower blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make strawflower bloom?

Give strawflower the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does strawflower normally bloom?