Gomphrena, additionally referred to as Globe Amaranth, is an easy-to-grow annual for any flower backyard and make an incredible addition to dried bouquets.
By now, your mailbox might be awash in all the newest seed catalogs for 2015, and also you’re beginning to suppose longingly towards spring. As you flip by way of these vibrant pages, tempted by all you see, you may overlook Gomphrena, a fairly little annual also called Globe Amaranth, however it’s undoubtedly price including to any flower backyard. This easy-care bloom has a secret – it dries fantastically, which means the Gomphrena you develop in the summertime can grace your front room all winter in a dried bouquet!
Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) is native to Brazil, Panama, and Guatemala. It’s a member of the Amaranth (Amaranthaceae) household, which is well-known for its long-lasting blooms. The brightly-colored flower heads, which resemble clover flowers, are literally made up of stiff constructions referred to as “bracts”; the flowers themselves are very small and tucked into these colourful heads. Butterflies and different small pollinators are drawn to those tiny flowers.
Plant Globe Amaranth in full solar to half shade and water nicely till established. Some varieties are very compact, rising solely 6 inches tall or so, whereas others can stretch their stems as much as two toes in peak. Learn catalog descriptions plant tags when buying to find out the place to position this annual in your backyard. Gomphrena is straightforward to begin from seed, and can bloom in about 90 days. Attempt a pleasant combine of colours like this providing from Burpee, or the favored ‘Strawberry Fields’, which boasts good pink bloom heads and silvery foliage.
Gomphrena mixes nicely with different annuals within the flower backyard. Plant shorter variations with marigolds and celosia, and taller varieties amongst cosmos and zinnias. Gomphrena retains its lovely coloration in dried bouquets too. Snip the stems and dangle a bunch upside-down in a cool dry place for a number of weeks, then show as a part of a dried flower association.
Eager about beginning Gomphrena and different vegetation from seeds for the primary time, and feeling just a little apprehensive? Try these Seed Beginning Fundamentals to offer you confidence!
