Xerochrysum bracteatum Granvia Red Flame

Xerochrysum 'Granvia Red Flame' is a new selection of everlasting flower with bracts and large double flowers in a rich flame red colour. This annual is well-known to fans of dried bouquets. It forms a beautiful and highly flowering cushion for almost 5 months (if you regularly remove faded flowers). Whether in the ground or in pots, its vivacious flower heads enliven borders, rockeries, or flower boxes. They also look lovely in floral arrangements.

Xerochrysum 'Granvia Red Flame' is a horticultural creation from 2022. This selection comes from the everlasting flower with bracts, an annual species native to Australia. Like all plants in the Asteraceae family, its flowers are organised in capitula, but the capitula of the everlasting flower are distinguishable from daisies and centaureas by the absence of ray florets or petals, which are replaced by colourful and shiny bracts. This characteristic helps the inflorescences to last a long time once they are dry, as the bracts do not wither like petals. 'Granvia Red Flame' develops an upright, compact habit, reaching an average height of 50cm (20in) when in flower, with a width of 30 to 35cm (12 to 14in). Its rough stems are ramified, adorned with small, single, lanceolate, medium green, villous, slightly bluish leaves, measuring 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) long. Together, they form a dense tuft. Flowering occurs from summer to early autumn, usually from June to October. It is nectar-rich and popular with butterflies. The capitula easily measure 8cm (3in) in diameter.