Paper daisies in floral arrangements
Paper daisies in floral arrangements
Helichrysm elatum (Tall White Everlasting)
Helichrysm elatum (Tall White Everlasting)
This plant can grow between one to two metres tall. The flowers are often in clusters. Although plants flower in spring in the wild, in garden conditions this flowering continues into summer. The plant needs root protection and a semi shaded position. The plant will also grow in exposed coastal positions.
Helichrysm elatum is a good plant for cut flowers. The flowers can also be wired and dried and this needs to be done before the buds open.
This plant originates in Victoria, NSW, and Qld, on tablelands, coast and foothills. It is generally found in shade among rocks in rich soils.
Helichrysm elatum (Tall White Everlasting)
Minuria leptophylla (Minnie Daisy)
Minuria leptophyllaWhen I took the photo of the Olearia pimelioides, Minuria leptophylla was growing nearby and I have seen masses of this plant also. This added weight to my demand to stop and see what they were. After that they seemed to be everywhere.
Minuria leptophylla is a perennial plant which dies back in the heat and dryness of summer, to reshoot after autumn rains. The plant is 5-20cm tall. The flowers are white mainly with pinks and purples being available at times and seem too large for such a small plant. It grows on most soil types.
From a farming point of view, stock graze this plant and it is valuable for this purpose. In the garden it would make a great border plant and if the water was available to give it good garden conditions, it would flower for most of the year.
Rhodanthe floribundum (Common White Sunray)
Rhodanthe floribundaThis daisy is one of the everlasting daisies and was growing like a carpet along the roadside from Ouyen through to Manangatang. I know it has had a name change from Helipterum but I am not sure whether it is Rhodanthe or not. I did not bring the daisy books with me. It is an annual and flowers prolifically. 
A friend often throws everlasting daisy seed around on a sand or small gravel mulch in late autumn, sprinkles the area well with water and then sits back to watch the ‘lawn’ grow and eventually sees the masses of flowers in the area. This is well worth doing. The sand or gravel acts as a mulch and retains moisture around the seed where it is washed into the nooks and crannies amongst the small stones.
The flowers wire well for floral art work if picked early enough to prevent the petals from flexing back too far when they open. Trial and error is needed here, to pick the flowers at the correct stage of bud size. Rhodanthe floribunda
Olearia pimelioides (Showy Daisy Bush)
Olearia pimelioides
This daisy grows to about 1 metre high and wide. It begins flowering at the end of winter into spring and makes a wonderful show. It grows in most soils particularly limey soils which occur around our place. Although the books say it is used commonly as a garden plant I have not found this to be so. To have 2 or 3 of them in a group would make the most wonderful spring display in a garden.
Olearia pimelioides