FFF119 - YELLOW PAPER DAISY

Xerochrysum bracteatum, commonly known as the golden everlasting or strawflower, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to Australia. Described by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in 1803, it was known as Helichrysum bracteatum for many years before being transferred to a new genus Xerochrysum in 1990. It grows as a woody or herbaceous perennial or annual shrub up to a metre tall with green or grey leafy foliage. Golden yellow or white flowerheads are produced from spring to autumn; their distinctive feature is the papery bracts that resemble petals.

The species is widespread, growing in a variety of habitats across the country, from rainforest margins to deserts and subalpine areas. The golden everlasting serves as food for various larvae of lepidopterans (butterflies and moths), and adult butterflies, hoverflies, native bees, small beetles and grasshoppers visit the flower heads.

The golden everlasting has proven very adaptable to cultivation. It was propagated and developed in Germany in the 1850s, and annual cultivars in a host of colour forms from white to bronze to purple flowers became available. Many of these are still sold in mixed seed packs. In Australia, many cultivars are perennial shrubs, which have become popular garden plants. Sturdier, long-stemmed forms are used commercially in the cut flower industry.

Shown here is Xerochrysum 'Dargan Hill Monarch' was a natural form collected around 1.6 km inland from Cunningham's Gap in Southern Queensland in May 1961, and registered in February 1977. It is a low perennial shrub 60 to 80 cm high and 1.5 m across. The foliage is grey and the large flowers are 7–9 cm in diameter and golden yellow in colour. It grows best in full sun and fair drainage. Cuttings strike readily, and seed germinate well, although with the latter, seedlings may differ from the parent.

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FFF119

1.	My Desktop Daily	12.	Jesh StG	23.	Khabbab	34.	Sara Chapman #3
2.	Nick, Melbourne	13.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	24.	Christines Welt	35.	Sara Chapman #4
3.	NixPixMix	14.	Debbie at Travel with Intent	25.	Zauberpalme	36.	The Rosegarden in Malevik
4.	Andrea, Plumbago rosea	15.	Jama -Singapore	26.	HoodPhoto OR-USA	37.	Moni
5.	Maboe	16.	Aktuella bilder	27.	maryaustria	38.	Synnöve
6.	Gunilla	17.	Ranu	28.	Dawn	39.	Ein wenig hiervon & davon
7.	Ileana	18.	Aletta - Nowathome	29.	Scene by Minerva	40.	Foxglove
8.	Hazel	19.	Y. P.	30.	PhotoLeoGrapher	41.	MIRIAM LUIZA
9.	Xavi, Barcelona	20.	Mary Jane Meier	31.	Polaroid Musings	42.	Trini Garden
10.	Rajesh	21.	ann nz	32.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	43.	Octopus Agave
11.	BirgittaB	22.	Earth Laughs in Flowers	33.	Sara Chapman #2	44.	Annual Flower Show, Gurgaon

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FFF 118 - DAMPIERA

Dampiera linearis (Common Dampiera or Wedge-leaved Dampiera) is an erect perennial herb in the family Goodeniaceae. The species, which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia,  and grows to between 0.15 and 0.6 metres in height. It produces blue flowers between July and December in its native range. In cultivation, the species prefers a well-drained situation in full sun or light shade. It tolerates some dryness and moderate frost. The hybrid "True Blue" is shown here.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF118

1.	My Desktop Daily	11.	Jim, Sydney, Australia	21.	Jama -Singapore	31.	If I had a flower ...
2.	Nick, Melbourne	12.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	22.	Earth Laughs in Flowers	32.	Polaroid Musings
3.	NixPixMix	13.	Sara Chapman #2	23.	Moni	33.	Sara Chapman #4
4.	Ileana	14.	Ranu	24.	Tina	34.	Aktuella bilder
5.	CookingYourEggshellsForTheBirds	15.	Synnöve	25.	Debbie at Travel with Intent	35.	Zauberpalme
6.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	16.	Sara Chapman #3	26.	Yael from Home Garden Diggers	36.	MIRIAM LUIZA
7.	Mary, MI	17.	Orange bush lilies	27.	Christines Welt	37.	veredit
8.	Xavi, Barcelona	18.	Ulla Laiho	28.	Dawn	38.	Matkatar
9.	Mina fotostunder	19.	Wandering Iris	29.	The Rosegarden in Malevik
10.	Jesh StG	20.	Aletta - Nowathome	30.	Scene by Minerva

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FFF 117 - VALENTINE'S MINIATURE ROSES

Gardeners limited in space can enjoy all the fun of rose growing by cultivating miniature roses in containers. They also adapt well to flowerbed edging, front-of-the-border socialising with perennials and annuals, and low hedges.

Miniature roses first came into being in the early 1930s as an accidental result of rose hybridising. Since then, master miniaturists have created many jewel-like varieties featuring perfectly shaped tiny blooms on clean, healthy plants that generally stay under 60 cm height.

Miniature roses respond to all the care basics of regular-size roses - deep irrigation, sunshine. and regular fertilising - but they do need extra winter protection in colder climates. To ensure the plant doesn't die back to the roots, in Zone 5 and below, bury the rose plant in a mound of soil.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

Happy Valentine's Day from Floral Friday Fotos!

FFF117

1.	My Desktop Daily	14.	Scene by Minerva	27.	Zauberpalme	40.	Trini Garden
2.	Nick, Melbourne	15.	Minoru	28.	Daniela	41.	Backlit flowers that glow in the light
3.	NixPixMix	16.	Angie in SoCal	29.	a different kind of love	42.	Dawn
4.	Gunilla	17.	Christines Welt!	30.	Moni	43.	Al, California
5.	sibel	18.	Jama -Singapore	31.	Droplets	44.	Macro Roses
6.	Ulla Laiho	19.	Aktuella bilder	32.	Yael from Home Garden Diggers	45.	Polaroid Musings
7.	Maboe	20.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	33.	Rajesh	46.	Earth Laughs in Flowers
8.	NatureFootstep Photo	21.	Sara Chapman #2	34.	Mona's Picturesque	47.	Jim, Sydney, Australia
9.	Simfonia florilor	22.	Ranu	35.	Xavi, Barcelona	48.	beagleAnnie
10.	BirgittaB	23.	Aletta - Nowathome	36.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	49.	WoollyMuses
11.	Ileana	24.	Sara Chapman #3	37.	HoodPhoto OR-USA	50.	ann nz
12.	Jesh StG	25.	Sara Chapman #4	38.	Jutta K.	51.	Salvia, Scarlet Sage
13.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	26.	Synnöve	39.	The Rosegarden in Malevik

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FFF116 - LEWISIA

Lewisias are small, colourful flowering plants which are native to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Named after the US explorer Lieutenant Meriwether Lewis, these plants are wonderful for providing colour in rock crevices in a cool climate.

Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise' shown here’ flowers in the first season without a cold period and can be used as an annual for rockeries, beds and containers. ‘The plant’ starts flowering 4-5 months after sowing and is a sturdy plant with attractive fleshy, succulent leaves with flowers all season long in shades of pastel pink, rose, salmon, orange, white and yellow, and bicolour patterns.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF116

1.	My Desktop Daily	12.	Jesh StG	23.	Christines Welt!	34.	The Rosegarden in Malevik
2.	Nick, Melbourne	13.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	24.	Mary, MI	35.	maryaustria
3.	NixPixMix	14.	Bernie in Australia	25.	Earth Laughs in Flowers	36.	Golden Barrel Cactus
4.	Xavi, Barcelona	15.	Jama -Singapore	26.	Yael from Home Garden Diggers	37.	HoodPhoto OR-USA
5.	Jan	16.	Ulla Laiho	27.	Geranium and Daffodils	38.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA
6.	Synnöve	17.	Jocee NZ	28.	Aletta - Nowathome	39.	Polaroid Musings
7.	Gunilla	18.	Carole M.	29.	Flowering Trees of S Africa	40.	Sara Chapman #2
8.	Ileana	19.	Zauberpalme	30.	wieczorama-fotografie	41.	Sara Chapman #3
9.	Mascha	20.	sibel	31.	Scene by Minerva	42.	Jim, Sydney, Australia
10.	BirgittaB	21.	WoollyMuses	32.	Red bird of paradise flowers	43.	Banish those winter blues with Mimosa!
11.	NatureFootstep Photo	22.	the intrinsickness	33.	Dawn

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