Blog

Jul 31, 2023

How’s Your Statice?

I am the first to admit that I am a sucker for cut flowers. I love the colors, the textures, and the lovely aromas. It’s one of the reasons my garden is limited to flowers, herbs, and succulents. I

I am the first to admit that I am a sucker for cut flowers. I love the colors, the textures, and the lovely aromas. It’s one of the reasons my garden is limited to flowers, herbs, and succulents. I remember my first Chico Thursday night Farmers’ Market. I was dumbstruck by the variety of cut flowers available for purchase. I love it when my husband sends cut flowers for my birthday or our anniversary, even though I acknowledge he likes to do it for the “isn’t he such a good guy” effect.

One of the “fillers” I like in a floral arrangement is statice (genus – Limonium; also known as Sea Lavender or Sea Pink). The purples, pinks, and whites add to the floral composition and the color stays vivid as the other flowers fade. I have recycled dried statice from one arrangement to another, adding it to freshly cut roses, iris, daisies, and other flowers from my garden. After several re-arranging efforts, however, it becomes quite fragile and easily breaks into pieces. Solution – grow my own, but I have never been successful growing statice from seed.

That changed one day last year when I walked into a big box hardware store and as is my wont, strolled through the garden area. There they were – several one-gallon pots of statice. I bought two healthy-looking plants and added them to the planting area between my backyard fence and the lawn. To my joy and amazement, both plants are thriving! How I have enjoyed adding the long, full stalks to other cut flowers from my garden this year. I like just adding a stalk to a waterless vase or bottle and letting it be the main show.

I have learned that statice, contrary to my earlier attempts, is very easy to grow. It is considered an annual but will serve as a perennial in our milder winter gardens. Statice enjoys the sun and requires little water. It also survives well in areas with sandy soil and wind. For this reason, it will often be found along the beachfront. But, best yet for flower lovers, Statice is a standout bloomer. Mine has bloomed prolifically through our summer heat. Such eye candy on a hot summer day. Can you see me smiling?

The Red Bluff Garden Club Inc. is a member of Cascade District, California Garden Clubs, Inc., Pacific Region Garden Clubs, Inc., and National Garden Clubs, Inc.

We meet on the last Tuesday of the month at 1 pm in the Fellowship Hall, First United Methodist Church, 525 David Avenue in Red Bluff. Visitors are always welcome.

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