How to Grow Strawflowers in Zone 3

Strawflowers are one of my absolute favourite flowers for the cutting garden. They have a unique, papery texture, are easy to grow from seed, and come in nearly every colour of the rainbow. Perfect for both fresh bouquets and dried arrangements, these cheerful blooms are a must-have for any cut flower garden.

Read on for a bit about how to grow these fun flowers and more about why I love them for my cold-climate garden!

Close-up of several pink strawflowers with yellow centers blooming in a garden, perfect for a cutting garden or dried bouquets, surrounded by green foliage and a blurred background.

Why Grow Strawflowers?

Strawflowers are incredibly versatile. Like statice, they shine in both fresh bouquets and dried flower crafts. Their papery texture and wide range of colours make them a favourite for kids and florists alike.

If you’re growing strawflowers for cut flowers, make sure to choose a tall variety. The ones bred for containers are cute but often too short for bouquets. That said, even the taller varieties grow well in raised beds and large pots.

Some of my favourite cut flower strawflower varieties are the King Size Mix, which are extra large and really eye-catching, and the Apricot/Peach Mix, which are always a favourite in my arrangements.

An apricot strawflower with layered petals blooms atop a slender green stem, surrounded by narrow leaves—an ideal choice for cutting gardens or dried bouquets—set against a softly blurred green background.

Related: 25+ Best Flowers to Grow for Dried Flower Arrangements

Starting Strawflowers from Seed

Short-season flower growers can start strawflowers indoors 6–8 weeks before their last frost. The germination is usually great, and they’re not too hard to harden off. That said, I have noticed that most years I will usually end up with at least one bad batch of seeds, so don’t be discouraged if not every tray thrives!

Although strawflowers are cold-tolerant, they are not hugely cold-tolerant, so don’t push them too hard. Once hardened off, you can plant them in the ground or in raised beds or containers.

Strawflowers are cut-and-come-again, so the more you harvest, the more they bloom!

A grasshopper rests on a dark purple strawflower in a cutting garden, surrounded by green leaves and more blurred strawflowers in the background.

Related: How to Seed Start

Tips for Drying & Seed Saving Strawflowers

If you’re drying strawflowers, harvest them before the centre opens fully. They will continue to open after cutting, so picking them a bit early helps preserve their shape. If you wait too long, they may start going to seed, which you definitely don’t want.

If you do want to save seeds from your strawflowers, the process is super simple. All you do is let the blooms grow until they puff out like dandelions. The timing of this can be somewhat difficult, so you can cover your strawflowers with mesh bags if you’re worried about losing seeds.

A close-up of a vibrant yellow strawflower in bloom, perfect for cutting gardens or adding to dried bouquets, with green leaves and blurred foliage in the background.

Related: 10 Dried Flower Crafts You Can Make to Sell

If you liked this blog post, find me on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for more cold-climate vegetable gardening tips, delicious recipes, and cut flower goodness! I also make weekly videos over on my YouTube channel. I hope to see you there!

READY TO GROW YOUR OWN BEAUTIFUL CUT FLOWER GARDEN WITHOUT THE HASSLE?

I’ve taken all the guesswork out of creating a cut flower garden with my e-book, Cut Flowers Made Simple. Whether you’re a farmer florist, a beginner gardener, or anything in between, you’ll be able to start your own cut flower garden, with or without seed starting, growing annual flowers.