Bracteantha Mohave Series

You might know it by one of its common names: strawflower or everlasting daisy. Bracteantha is also sometimes called golden everlasting because the wild form has golden yellow bracts with yellow-brown corollas. Delicate papery flowers are this plant’s claim to fame—they have a crackly, straw-like texture and seem to last forever. The daisy-like blooms are renowned for drying beautifully without losing their color or shape.

Over the years, breeders have greatly expanded the color options available in bracteantha. We like the Mohave series in particular because of its wide range of brilliant flowers—including a great shade of the original wild yellow. Large blooms are held on tall, straight stems above a mound of attractive dark green foliage.

You know we’re all for plants that provide multiple seasons of interest, and with a name like everlasting this series fills the bill. Bright blooms are suitable for spring and summer but with warm colors like orange, rose, and yellow, they fit right in with autumn décor as well. Flowers are produced all the way to frost; spent flower heads can be trimmed to encourage more blooms late in the season, or left to dry right on the plants.

Mohave bracteantha love the sun and are heat and drought-tolerant. They will grow in sandy, gravelly soil but cannot handle standing water. Plants reach about 14–16 inches tall with a similar spread and thrive in areas with long, hot summers. 

This is the series to choose for smaller pots and mixed plantings. Mohave selections are eye-catching in combination baskets and window boxes, but we also like to fill a pot with just one variety. In the landscape they make attractive edging plants and are suitable for xeriscaping. Of course, these bright colors look striking planted en masse.

If bracteantha seems oddly familiar, you’ve no doubt come across some in a floral arrangement along the way—it’s extremely popular for cutting. 

We have ‘Mohave Orange’, ‘Mohave Rose’, and ‘Mohave Yellow’ in the 4.5-inch pot. ‘Mohave Yellow’ is also available in the 8-inch pot size.