Helichrysum

Helichrysum

Garden blankets (Helichrysum bracteatum) also known as immortelle or dry-flowered is a plant of the aster family. The homeland of this thermophilic and drought-tolerant plant is Australia. Small requirements for cultivation made the blanket plant easily spread to other continents. In Poland, we can find it in home garden beds, where it is treated as an annual plant (in some countries as a perennial). Not only in the garden - we can often find dry-flower in handicrafts or summer bouquets of dried flowers. In Poland, the only wild-growing immortelle is the sand clover, which is under protection.

Helichrysum - plant characteristics

The sandflower (Helichrysum arenarium) is a perennial plant of the Asteraceae family, occurring naturally in sandy areas of Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, where it is protected. It is distinguished by small, intense yellow flowers gathered in dense baskets on the tops of silvery, hairy stems. The sand blanket does well in poor, sandy soils, being a light-loving plant and resistant to harsh climatic conditions, which makes it good for natural gardens and plantings.

Helichrysum - occurance & cultivation

The garden blanket grows from 20cm to as much as 100cm. Immortelle has a spreading habit, narrow, lanceolate, dark green leaves. On the tops of the shoots appear flowers gathered in baskets. The small, tubular flowers form a shield that surrounds the dry, scaly, colorful covering leaves. The inflorescences reach up to 8cm in diameter. The blanket plant comes in many varieties, shades, shapes. Among the most popular colors are white, yellow, pink and orange. The Germans in the 19th century contributed to the considerable variety of varieties of garden blanket.

Helichrysum is a small plant reaching a height of 10-30 cm, with a delicate, erect stem, covered with silvery mesquite, which gives it a subtle, matte appearance. The leaves are small, lanceolate, with a characteristic gray-green hue, which creates an interesting contrast with its flowers. The inflorescences of this plant are small, golden-yellow baskets, which are gathered in loose umbels at the top of the stems. The golden flowers, which retain their intense color for a long time after drying, give the plant a lightness, and their spherical shape adds charm both in nature and in dry floral compositions.

How to dry helichrysum?

If you want to dry the blanket plant, it is very important to cut it at the beginning of flowering. This should be done when the lower leaves of the covering have already left the flower bud. If we cut off the blankets too late they can lose their decorative value, because at the end of flowering they produce seeds, "eyes" appear which make the flower look old, out of bloom. Suchołuski suszymy klasyczną metodą zielarską, czyli wiążemy kwiaty w pęczki i zawieszamy kwiatostanem do dołu. Remember to protect the plants from the sun, the drying time is about 10 days. After this time it will be ideal material for dried bouquets

Helichrysum - ideas for use, from floristry to handicrafts

Dryland is naturally found in the dry, sandy soils of Australia. Due to its very small requirements, the plant is one of the simple ones to grow. It is extremely drought-resistant, which makes it do well in sunny positions. In Poland we can find blanket plant in home gardens, where it plays a decorative role. The plant has no special requirements for soil and care. The garden blanket blooms from July to October. If you want to help the blanket to spread, you should remove the main bud. The plant will then let the side shoots give more flowers at the next flowering.

Dried Helichrysum heads

Dried helichrysum heads are an extremely versatile material for creating a variety of decorations and crafts. Their texture and durability make them an ideal choice for harvest garlands, which look beautiful during traditional celebrations. Thanks to their colors and texture, blanket heads are also perfect for creating dried flower hair ornaments, adding a natural and romantic touch to any hairstyle. They can also be used in floral compositions, such as bouquets, reeds or paintings of dried flowers. Blanket heads will also work well in table decorations, greeting cards and other DIY projects, where natural beauty and originality are important.