Yellow Strawflower

Strawflower
Bracteantha bracteatum
(brak-tee-AN-tha) (brak-tee-AY-tum)
Synonyms: Everlasting Daisy, Golden Everlasting

This flower illustrates a growing trend by growers that really irks me. It is the generic tag that they put in the different varieties of annuals. This flower came with a tag that said “Harvest Bloom Bracteantha”. It also had a tag that said “Yellow”, duh. The Nursery Select Program by Miracle-Gro seems to be a big offender here. I got some Nursery Select New Guinea Impatiens the other day and the tag said “Sunshine”. As a gardener I like to get as much information about what I am trying to grow as possible. Knowing the variety names is important especially when you have something that you like. If it is just listed as a Yellow Strawflower than it becomes more of luck of the draw situation instead of an informed purchase the next season.

Once when I was buying a perennial order out on Long Island I accidentally picked some Nursery Select plants. The person said those are 50 cents extra if you take the NS label. I asked what the difference between the same plants he had in regular pots and he said “marketing”. After looking around on the internet for more information on the Nursery Select plants I couldn’t find a website or list anywhere. That makes me wonder.

About this flower. It hasn’t really done too well so far but I don’t think that has to do with the variety. More like all the dark and damp days we have had. I planted it in a container and normally Strawflowers do pretty well there but this one has been struggling a little. They don’t seem to mind the moisture but really like a long and hot summer. The soil should be well draining and a little sandy for best results. The generic tag did say 6 to 10 inches tall, which was helpful. Many of the species of Strawflower get taller than that.