Illustration
Strawflower
Xerochrysum
Strawflower blooms from June through September.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Strawflower
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 8–11. Expect it to reach about 24 in tall and 12 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Strawflower
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Strawflower into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 9, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 9 in February. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Strawflower get?
24 intall5 ft 7 inan adult12 inwideSee Strawflower in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Strawflower
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Strawflower about 12 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Strawflower to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Strawflower's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 9 published sources on July 30, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- NC State ExtensionXerochrysum bracteatumheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- byf.unl.eduUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln Backyard Farmer (Strawflower, Xerochrys...height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenXerochrysum bracteatumheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- RHSXerochrysum bracteatum, everlasting flowerheight, spread, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- Johnny's Selected SeedsStrawflower Key Growing Informationheight, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- anpsa.org.auAustralian Native Plants Society (Xerochrysum bracteatum)height, sun and years to mature size
- toptropicals.comTop Tropicals (Xerochrysum bracteatum, Strawflower)hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Utah State University ExtensionStrawflower Cut Flower Production in Utahheight, sun and trait tags
- Swallowtail Garden SeedsStrawflower Seeds, Xerochrysum bracteatumsun and trait tags
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 6 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every color in the Strawflower group
Every figure is the color's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Name | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apricot | Orange | Jun–Sep | Zones 8–11 | Full sun | 24 in × 12 in |
| Pink | Pink | Jun–Sep | Zones 8–11 | Full sun | 24 in × 12 in |
| Purple | Purple | Jun–Sep | Zones 8–11 | Full sun | 24 in × 12 in |
| Red | Red | Jun–Sep | Zones 8–11 | Full sun | 24 in × 12 in |
| Strawflowerthis page | Orange | Jun–Sep | Zones 8–11 | Full sun | 24 in × 12 in |
| White | White | Jun–Sep | Zones 8–11 | Full sun | 24 in × 12 in |
| Yellow | Yellow | Jun–Sep | Zones 8–11 | Full sun | 24 in × 12 in |
Good to know about Strawflower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Worth knowing
The colorful 'petals' are stiff, papery bracts that feel straw-dry even when fresh, which is why they keep their shape and color when dried. per NC State
When to cut for drying
Cut for drying when only the outer bracts have opened and the center is still closed, because the head keeps opening and looks best half open as it dries. per Iowa State
Bees vs. dried flowers
For the best dried flowers you cut before the center opens, but that is also the pollen and nectar bees want, so leave some heads unharvested to feed them. per NC State and Iowa State
Few problems, all moisture-driven
Largely trouble-free; its few problems (downy mildew, root rot, gray mold) are moisture-driven, so good spacing, airflow and sharp drainage are the main controls. per NC State and CAES
Non-toxic to pets and people
It appears on neither the ASPCA nor the California Poison Control toxic-plant list, so strawflower is considered non-toxic to pets and people. per ASPCA and California Poison Control
What pairs well with Strawflower
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 4 in, for the front of the border.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
False Indigo
Shares full sun and low water; opens in late spring and overlaps into this one's season; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border.
Switchgrass
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Wisteria
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; purple against orange, for contrast.
Freesia
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; yellow sits close to orange on the wheel.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.