Helichrysum petiolare

Licorice Helichrysum ( Helichrysum petiolare )

The Licorice Helichrysum ( Helichrysum petiolare ) is a plant from the sunflower family ( Asteraceae).

Description

The licorice straw flower is a bushy spread to contiguous ascending subshrub or dwarf shrub, the plant height of 20 to 50 (rarely to 100) achieved centimeters. The leaves are 1.5 to 2.5 inches long, broadly ovate, truncate at the base to almost heart-shaped, white wool felt-like and on top later greenish. The petioles are 0.5 to 2.5 inches long. The flower heads have a diameter of 3 to 5 millimeters. They are placed in sealed and up to 2.5 to 7 centimeters broad umbrella-. The bracts are creamy white. The species blooms only rarely.

The flowering period is in September, sometimes it starts in August.

Occurrence

The licorice straw flower comes in South Africa from the Cape to Natal before. It grows on shaded lower slopes and forest edges. In Portugal, South Britain and California, she was naturalized.

Use

The licorice straw flower is rarely used as an ornamental plant for borders, hanging baskets and tubs as plant structure. It is usually grown as an annual. The species is in cultivation since at least 1719. There are some varieties (selection):

• Aureum ( "gold" ): The leaves are yellow-green.
• Microphyllum: The leaf blade is gray-green and has a diameter of less than 1 centimeter.
• Silver: The leaves are silvery green.
• Variegatum: The leaves are gray-green, its edge is creamy white.

Documents

• Corner Hardt J. Hunter, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd Müller K. (ed.): Rothmaler Exkursionsflora of Germany. Volume 5: Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8.