How to Grow Helichrysum Bracteatum

Place a seed 1/4 inch deep in a peat pot filled with equal parts of peat moss and perlite. Use a misting bottle to wet the medium. Place the peat pot in a plastic bag. Set it in a location with indirect but bright sunlight where temperatures will stay between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keep the seed pot moist until the seedling appears in seven to 10 days. Remove the plastic bag when the seedling appears. Keep the soil moist. Don’t transplant the seedling until the plant has at least three leaves.

Fill a 6-inch diameter container with drainage holes with two parts sand, two parts loam and one part peat moss. Cover the roots, but keep the crown, where the stem meets the roots, above ground.

Water the plant thoroughly. Continue to water the plant when the soil dries out. Insert a finger at least 1 inch deep in the soil. If the soil is dry, water the plant until the water runs out of the drainage holes.

Place the Helichrysum bracteatum in a window or on a patio where it will receive at least six hours of full sun to encourage profuse flowering. Plants that are kept in shade or don’t have enough sun will have fewer flowers.

Feed the strawflower with a well-balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 diluted in half, once a month during spring and summer when the plant is growing. Always water the plant before and immediately after fertilizing so the roots don’t burn.