Founding florist
Tulipanna
Bondi NSW · est. 1992
A Bondi Road florist since 1992, with seasonal bouquets, arrangements, roses and potted orchids, and a weekly note on what's at market.
Australian nativeActinotus helianthi
Flannel flower: when it's in season in Australia
Flannel flower is in season in Australia from September to December.Being confirmed
- Right now
- In season in September
- Season
- September to December
Season by state
Flannel flower is a soft, grey-white, daisy-like native of the NSW and south-east Queensland coast and ranges. It flowers gradually through the year but peaks in spring, from September to November, carrying into early summer. Demand has long outrun supply, because it is hard to propagate and grow commercially and bush picking is being wound back, so out-of-season stems fetch a premium. Wild flannel flowers should be left alone and picking them is restricted in NSW, so buy farmed stems. The velvety texture is the whole point, so handle them gently.
Where to buy flannel flower
Priced by the stem; out-of-season stems command a premium. Being confirmed
How to choose good flannel flower
Flannel flowers are sold by the stem, so choose each one. The best have a full, flat star of bracts with a thick felty coat and green tips, and a centre that still looks tight and grey-green rather than fluffy. Stems should be firm and upright, with no blackening where they have been sitting in water. Pass over flowers with bent or bruised bracts, as they do not recover. Three to five stems look right in a bud vase, and a single stem works on its own. In the October and November peak, ask your florist which day their stems arrive, because good ones go quickly.
An Australian native
Flannel flower is Australian native.
Where it's grown
In the wild, flannel flower grows in sandstone heath and dry forest along the NSW coast and ranges and into south-east Queensland, and it often flowers in big numbers after bushfire. Being confirmed Plants can be short-lived and are prone to root rot, which is why farming them has been slow. The Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan has selected and bred forms for gardens and the cut-flower trade, including 'Starbright' and a long-stemmed selection. Commercial stems come from a small number of specialist native flower growers, mostly in NSW. Being confirmed Potted garden plants turn up in nurseries in spring.
Stems at Australian markets are mostly grown here, so when it is out of season it is hard to find. Being confirmed
Colours, varieties and care
Colours
- white
- cream
- grey-green
Making it last
- Cut 2cm off stems on an angle
- Stand in shallow, fresh water
- Keep cool and out of direct sun
- Avoid wetting the velvety flower heads
- Change the water every two days
Using it at home
Flannel flowers are soft grey and white, so they calm down louder natives. In spring, put a few with waratah for contrast, or tuck them among wax flower and eucalyptus for a pale bunch. By December they pair nicely with NSW Christmas bush, the red against the grey felt. Use a narrow bottle or a small ceramic vase, as the stems are fine. Over the vase life the green tips fade and the centre fluffs up as it matures. They also press and dry well, keeping their shape and felty feel. Being confirmed
Where to see it growing
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Sydney
Best: August to OctoberBeing confirmed
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Canberra
Best: September to NovemberBeing confirmed
Questions people ask
When are flannel flowers in season in Australia?
Flannel flowers peak in spring, from September to November, and carry into early summer. Plants flower lightly at other times, and growers are working on year-round production, but supply outside spring is thin and those stems cost more.
Can I pick flannel flowers in the bush?
No. Leave wild flannel flowers where they grow, and note that picking them is restricted in NSW. Bush picking for the trade is also being wound back, so buy farmed stems from a florist instead.
Why are flannel flowers so hard to find?
They are difficult to propagate and can be unreliable in cultivation, with root disease a common problem. That keeps farmed supply short while demand keeps growing, so stems sell out quickly in spring and cost more out of season.
Can you grow flannel flowers in Sydney?
Yes, Sydney is flannel flower country. Grow them in full sun in very free-draining sandy soil, or in a pot of native potting mix, and never let them sit wet. Treat them as short-lived plants that may last only two or three years, and choose named garden forms, which tend to be more reliable than wild types. Being confirmed
What is the Federation Star flannel flower?
It is a garden selection of flannel flower developed at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. A flannel flower was chosen as the NSW floral emblem for the Centenary of Federation in 2001, and the new plants were released as Federation Stars. Selections such as 'Starbright' are still sold as easier garden forms.
Related flowers
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