Statice is a Half-Hardy Annual.

It requires warmth to germinate and grow, and it will not survive a frost. Although it loves sun, it needs a long growing season to produce good stems, so starting it indoors is the best strategy.

Top Tip: For the best dried flowers, cut the stems when the clusters are fully coloured but *before* the tiny white "true flowers" inside the coloured bracts turn brown.

Statice is easy to grow but hates having "wet feet."

Germination:
Sow indoors from February to April. Sow seeds on the surface of moist compost and cover with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite (they need a little light). Keep warm (18-21°C). Germination takes 7-14 days. To avoid root disturbance later, sow in module trays.

Where to Sow:
They demand full sun. They thrive in sandy, free-draining soil. If you have heavy clay, you must add grit or grow them in raised beds, as they will rot in waterlogged ground.

Care While Growing:
Once established, they are very low maintenance and drought tolerant. They rarely need feeding (rich soil makes lush leaves but fewer flowers). In very windy sites, a little support netting helps keep the stems straight for cutting.

Statice is best grown in a "Cutting Patch" alongside other plants that dry beautifully:

• 🔥 Strawflower (Swiss Giants): The classic partner. Statice provides the filler, while Helichrysum provides the focal point. Both demand the same sunny, dry conditions and are harvested at the same time.
• 🌕 Billy Buttons (Craspedia): Shape contrast. The perfectly round yellow balls of Craspedia look amazing next to the flat, paper-like sprays of Statice. Both are everlasting flowers that dry without fuss.

Sow indoors in spring. Plant out in summer. Harvest July-September.