Explore our comprehensive guide on Bracteantha (Strawflower) care, including planting tips, maintenance, and how to enjoy their vivid, everlasting blooms in your garden. It is also known as a Paper Daisy or an Everlasting Daisy. Botanically it is called Bracteantha bracteata or Helichrysum bracteatum.

Understanding the Context

Strawflowers and Paper Daisies are generally considered to be annual plants, but are actually short lived perennials in USDA zones 10-11. Strawflowers (Bracteantha) are easy-care and elegant annual plants that offer a long bloom season. At first glance, it might seem like they have a strange common name, but touch the brightly colored blooms and it becomes apparent. An excellent dried flower, the petals have a dry, papery feel.

Key Insights

Yes, Bracteantha —commonly known as strawflower or paper daisy—is botanically classified as a perennial herbaceous plant. However, its actual lifespan and behavior in the garden depend entirely on climate: it reliably survives winter and regrows from its rootstock only in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 through 11. In colder zones (8 and below), it functions almost exclusively as a tender annual ... Strawflower is a colorful short-lived plant grown as a perennial in optimal zones or typically as an annual in regions with hot summers. The flower thrives in full and partial sun, well-drained soil, and temperatures ranging from 65 to 70 degrees.

Final Thoughts

Strawflower enjoys blooming from spring until fall. Strawflower, Xerochrysum bracteatum, is an annual in the Gnaphalieae group, which is in the huge Asteraceae, or Compositae family. It is related to thousands of other plants, including the aster, daisy, and sunflower. Bracteantha is also known as Xerochrysum and Helichrysum and is in the Daisy family (Asteraceae). It is a short-lived, tender perennial that is native to Australia and grown here as an annual. It flowers from late spring until frost.

They flower best in sunny spots and with regular soil moisture, and also like good drainage. Feed lightly through the warm months. Picking the flowers will help to prune the plant and maintain a good plant shape. To use as dried flowers, pick while in bud and hang upside down to dry.