Ammobium alatum, Winged Everlasting

If you are looking for a fun, slightly whimsical addition to the cutting garden, give these a try. The clusters of small, daisy-like blooms and the distinctive ribbed, winged stems make Ammobium alatum both charming and unique, a flower as appealing in the border as it is in the vase. Mounds of fresh green foliage give rise to upright, wiry stems topped with starlike blooms; the papery white ray-florets open to reveal a bright golden-yellow centre like miniature strawflowers, and the winged stems catch the light, giving the whole plant an airy grace.

In the garden it flowers freely from midsummer until autumn, performing well in both open borders and under cover in a polytunnel. Easy to grow, drought-tolerant and long-lasting, it is one of the most reliable everlastings for cutting, drying and arranging. Cheerful in summer displays and delightful in bouquets, it adds a wildflower charm and dries beautifully for winter decoration.

Ammobium alatum was introduced to Europe in the 19th century as part of the wave of Australian everlastings that became fashionable in Victorian dried-flower work. Cherished as an 'immortelle,' it was a favourite for wreaths, memorials and parlour displays when fresh blooms were scarce. Its papery petals retain both shape and colour when dried, making it a classic choice for long-lasting arrangements as well as brightening summer borders.

Sowing: Sow in early spring indoors or direct sow once all risk of frost has passed
Sow indoors in trays 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost, covering the seed very lightly as light aids germination. Transplant outdoors once all danger of frost has passed, or sow direct where they are to flower from late spring. Choose a sunny, well-drained position; plants will tolerate poor soils and drought once established.
Ideally they should be exposed to the sun half the day or more. Pinching is not necessary, as stems rise from a low rosette of leaves. 70 to 80 days to maturity.

Sowing Indoors:
Sow into individual pots or trays of seed compost in gentle warmth, 15 to 20°C. Use well drained soil and cover lightly. Keep the compost moist. Germination will take place in 10 to 14 day. Grow on and transplant into 7.5cm (3in) pots or trays.
When seedlings are large enough to handle, prick out into individual 7.5cm (3in) pots and grow on in cooler conditions before hardening off and planting out after the last frost.
Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out in growing position after the last expected frosts. Space 25cm (10in) apart.

Sowing Direct:
Sow directly outdoors from April to June once the soil has warmed. Prepare the ground well and rake to a fine tilth. If sowing more than one annual in the same bed, mark the sowing areas with a ring of sand and label.
Sow 5mm (¼ in) deep in rows 7cm (3in) apart. Sow sparingly or they will choke out other seedlings. Keep soil moist during germination.
The seedlings will appear in rows approx 3 to 4 weeks after planting and can be easily told from nearby weed seedlings. Thin the seedlings out as necessary so they are finally 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) apart. Carefully replant thinned plants.

Cultivation:
Enrich beds with compost before planting. Avoid over-watering; well drained soil is key to avoid root rot, but do not allow the soil to become bone dry, or the plant will die. A moist soil is better, but it needs good drainage, established plants can take some drought.
Feed with a fertiliser low in phosphorus. Remove spent flowers to encourage further blooming

Harvesting:
Harvest stems when the papery ray florets are half open, before the yellow centres are fully exposed.
If being used fresh, cut stems should immediately be placed into cool water. Strip lower leaves off and kept somewhere cool and out of the sun to hydrate.
Expect a vase life of 7 to 10 days - the use of a floral conditioner is not absolutely necessary but may help to maximize vase life.

Dried Flowers:
The Immortelle is essential for dried flowers bouquets and wreaths. Cut when the buds begin to open, before the yellow centers are showing and hang them by the stem, upside down in small bunches in a shady dry area for a couple of weeks before being used. If they are left to dry on the plant, they turn tan or light brown so need to be cut and left to dry with their heads down. The flowers continue to open as they dry, keeping their shape and snowy white petals for months of winter decoration.

Origin:
The plant is native to south-eastern Australia, where it grows in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, often in sandy or open grasslands. It’s adapted to hot, dry summers and poor soils, which explains its toughness in the garden and the 'sandflower' part of its common name.
It was first collected in the field by Allan Cunningham during his botanical expeditions in the early 19th century. Using Cunningham’s material, the species was formally described in 1824 by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown, one of the leading figures in early Australian plant taxonomy.
Introduced to Europe soon afterwards, it became popular in Victorian gardens and in dried immortelle work, where its papery white and gold blooms were cherished for their ability to last through the winter.

Nomenclature:
The genus name Ammobium is derived from the Greek ammos meaning 'sand' and bios meaning 'life,' referring to the plant’s ability to thrive in sandy soils.
The species epithet alatum comes from the Latin ala, 'wing,' describing the distinctive wing-like ridges that run along the stems. Together the name translates neatly as 'the winged sand-dweller.'

The Everlasting Clan:
Several plants are grouped under the name 'everlastings' or 'strawflowers,' (and in Dutch 'Strobloem') prized for their papery blooms that keep their colour when dried.
They belong to the daisy family but sit in different genera, which explains the jumble of names you may find on labels and in books:

• Ammobium alatum (Winged Everlasting) — white flowers with a yellow eye, delicate filler in fresh and dried work.
  
• Catananche caerulea (Cupid’s Dart) — short-lived perennial with papery blue daisies, also white form. dries well.
  
• Craspedia globosa (Drumstick Flower or Billy Buttons) — tight yellow spheres on long, wiry stems. Very popular in modern floristry
  
• Gomphrena globosa (Globe Amaranth) — rounded flowerheads in purple, pink, and white, widely grown for dried work.
  
• Helichrysum species (Everlasting Daisy, Curry Plant, Licorice Plant) – a broad group; some ornamental, others prized for silvery foliage or aromatic leaves.
  
• Helipterum roseum (Acroclinium, Swan River Daisy) — neat annual everlasting with pink, red or white papery blooms.
  
• Limonium sinuatum (Sea Lavender) — stiff stems with papery bracts, often used in commercial dried arrangements.
  
• Rhodanthe chlorocephala (Pink Paper Daisy) — an Australian everlasting with soft pink blooms.
  
• Xerochrysum bracteatum (Strawflower, Golden Everlasting) — also sold as Xeranthemum or Helichrysum bracteatum.
  
• Xeranthemum annuum (Annual Everlasting) — a true Xeranthemum, with silvery foliage and papery white to violet flowers.