Winged everlasting flower (Ammobium)
Winged everlasting flower plants are easy to clean. We’ll show you what you should still pay attention to so that you can enjoy your plants longer.
The winged everlasting flower (Ammobium alatum) is an attractive summer flower which is particularly suitable for rock gardens. You can also enjoy the annual plant from the composite family beyond the garden season, as the paper button can be used as a dried flower and made into attractive bouquets and flower arrangements. The frugal plants require only little maintenance. We have put together the following list of care instructions.
Watering
The water requirement of the winged everlasting flower is rather moderate. The plant also tolerates longer dry periods. If watering is once neglected, this is less tragic than overdoing it with irrigation. The plants coming from Australia do not tolerate humid soils. If the moisture persists over a longer period of time, this leads to waterlogging. The roots are attacked and the plant begins to rot.
Potted plants are particularly affected by waterlogging as a result of watering errors. Therefore, when selecting the appropriate plant pot, it is important to ensure that there are sufficient drainage holes for the liquid in the bottom of the pot. A drainage system can also protect against waterlogging. To do this, simply place shards of clay or gravel on the bottom of the container before potting the plant.
Tip: Do not water the plant again until the substrate has dried.
Pour winged everlasting flower:
- moderate watering
- Soil may dry up
- Avoid waterlogging
Proper fertilizing
In order to promote flowering, it is advisable to supply the winged everlasting flower with fertilizer from time to time during the growing period. Liquid fertilizers for flowering plants are preferred. This is easy to dose and can easily be added to the irrigation water.
If you add compost to the soil when planting, you supply the winged everlasting flower with an organic slow-release fertilizer, which supplies the plant with nutrients throughout the summer. Additional fertilization is then usually not necessary.
Attention: The plant should not be overfertilized. If the supply of nutrients is too high, there is a danger that the flowers will literally fall apart.
- apply liquid fertiliser during the flowering period
- Add compost to the substrate
- Avoid overfertilization
Multiply winged everlasting flower (Ammobium)
The winged everlasting flower can be multiplied by seeds. Seeds are available on the market all year round. You can also extract them from existing seed plants. Then the flower heads cannot be used as dried flowers, or you can keep some flowers and let them bloom or fade.
The seeds are preferred in the house. This can already be started in March. To do this, fill a plant container with growing soil and spread the seeds on it. These are covered with a thin layer of earth and germinate at temperatures around 15 degrees.
Overview of care measures
| care measure | explanation |
|---|---|
| watering | Only moderately watered. A dry floor is better tolerated than stagnant water. If the plant is kept in a tub, it needs regular watering. Make sure that the planter is permeable. |
| fertilizing | In order to promote flowering, liquid fertilizer should be added. Overfertilisation should be avoided. |
| cutting | The winged everlasting flower does not have to be cut. |
| hibernation | The plant is annual and is disposed of in autumn. A hibernation is not necessary. In their native Australia alone, the plants are perennial. |
Detecting and combating diseases and pests
The winged everlasting flower is only rarely attacked by diseases and pests.
If the flowers seem to hang their heads for no reason, this could indicate an infestation with a mould fungus. If the plants are attacked by mould, this can be recognized by a whitish layer, which covers the leaves. The formation of moulds is usually due to maintenance errors.
Tip: The main causes of mould infestation are high humidity and a location that is too damp.
If the irrigation water cannot drain off, the substrate begins to mould due to overwatering. This occurs particularly frequently when the winged everlasting flower are planted in the bucket and there is little substrate available. The mould spores then spread rapidly and cover the substrate and the plant pot like a net. All infested parts of the plant must be removed immediately. If the mould infestation is already far advanced, only chemical pesticides can help. However, this should be well considered, because it is an annual plant. In this case, disposal would probably be more environmentally friendly.
Danger mildew
If the plants appear to be covered with a flour-like coating, a particularly stubborn mould has taken possession of the paper button. Powdery mildew is a “fair weather mushroom”. Warm temperatures combined with high humidity provide the ideal habitat for powdery mildew. If it is dry over a longer period of time, this will not make much difference to the plant, as the paper button feels more comfortable in a dry soil anyway than in persistent moisture. However, the leaves have a hard time developing fully in hot and dry summers. If it comes to a rain break, the mushroom spores find an ideal entrance gate.
If the floury coating becomes visible, the hobby gardener should act immediately to prevent the mushroom from spreading further.
Home remedy against powdery mildew:
- Spraying the infested plant parts with milk
- Spraying the infested plant parts with horsetail broth
- Spraying the infested plant parts with garlic brew
- Spraying the infested plant parts with Rainfarn Tea
The tinctures should be used on a dry day if possible, otherwise the rain would quickly wash off the active ingredient again. Spray the plant generously, preferably on parts of the plant affected by mildew. A single application is usually not enough. The plants should be treated several times a week until the characteristic white coating is no longer visible.
How can mildew be prevented?
Choose a protected location so that the moisture cannot clog the plant. The paper buttons should not be planted too tightly. The plant can develop much better if a planting distance of at least 30 centimeters is maintained. Furthermore, the leaves dry faster after the downpour and mildew has no chance, especially if it is a sunny location.
Tip: Strong and healthy plants are less vulnerable to disease. If you provide a sunny location, loose soil and sufficient nutrients, this is the best prevention against diseases and pests.
Reasons for reduced growth
If the plants appear small and puny and hardly form flowers, this can have several causes. If sowing is too early, for example, the seeds germinate only slowly. It is therefore advisable not to sow the paper button before April.
Other reasons for reduced growth:
- too dark a position
- too few nutrients
- too much water
- too little water
Avoiding That The Ammobium dries out
The winged everlasting flower is not only endangered in the bed. Even if the dried flowers have already been arranged into bouquets or flower arrangements, rot may occur. They didn’t have enough patience during the drying process. If the flowers are not completely dried out, they will not last longer. The moist stems begin to rot.
I am Don Burke, one of the authors at My Garden Guide. I am a horticulturist that cultivates, grows, and cares for plants, ranging from shrubs and fruits to flowers. I do it in my own garden and in my nursery. I show you how to take care of your garden and how to perform garden landscaping in an easy way, step by step.I am originally from Sydney and I wrote in local magazines. Later on, I have decided, more than two decades ago, to create my own blog. My area of specialization is related to orchid care, succulent care, and the study of the substrate and the soil. Therefore, you will see many articles dedicated to these disciplines. I also provide advice about how to improve the landscape design of your garden.
