Strawflower in Zone 10a & 10b
Xerochrysum bracteatum
Yes, strawflower grows in zones 10a and 10b. Start seeds indoors in Aug–Dec and plant out in Oct–Feb. For a fall crop, start seeds indoors in Aug–Dec and plant out in Oct–Feb.
When to plant strawflower in zone 10b
Zones 10a and 10b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. In your zone it needs a head start on the heat that direct-sowing elsewhere doesn't require.
| Window | Fall window |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Aug–Dec |
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Oct–Feb |
| Estimated bloom | ~80 days after transplanting |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 2-3 ft.
Zone 10b dates sourced from growinginthegarden.com.
Fall window: the last sowing date is the average first frost minus days to maturity, the method in Purdue Extension's fall garden guide, which lists strawflower for late-summer planting.
Plant alongside it in zone 10b
These go outside within two weeks of strawflower in zone 10b, so one planting day can cover them.
- NasturtiumOct–Jan
- Black-Eyed SusanOct–Mar
- HollyhockOct–Mar
- Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella)Oct–Mar
- Pansy / ViolaOct–Jan
- RanunculusOct–Nov
Strawflower gets its name from its stiff, papery petals, which is also exactly why it's such a popular dried flower. The daisy-like blooms come in red, orange, yellow, pink, or white on plants 2 to 3 feet tall. Cut and hung to dry, they hold their color and shape for years instead of fading and crumbling the way softer petals do.
How strawflower fits zone 10's season
Zone 10b's frost-free window runs about 324 days, from January 30 to December 20. Strawflower needs about 80 days from sowing to first bloom.
Strawflower planting windows in every zone
Zone 10b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2b | Apr 1–Apr 8 | May 20–May 27 | Aug 8–Aug 15 |
| 3a & 3b | Apr 11–Apr 18 | May 30–Jun 6 | Aug 18–Aug 25 |
| 4a & 4b | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 15–May 22 | Aug 3–Aug 10 |
| 5a & 5b | Mar 22–Mar 29 | May 10–May 17 | Jul 29–Aug 5 |
| 6a & 6b | Mar 7–Mar 14 | Apr 25–May 2 | Jul 14–Jul 21 |
| 7a & 7b | Feb 20–Feb 27 | Apr 10–Apr 17 | Jun 29–Jul 6 |
| 8a & 8b | Feb 4–Feb 11 | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Jun 13–Jun 20 |
| 9a & 9b | Dec 28–Jan 4 | Feb 15–Feb 22 | May 6–May 13 |
| 10a & 10bFall window (your zone) | Aug–Dec | Oct–Feb | ~80 days after transplanting |
Bloom dates are about 80 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
No well-established companions for strawflower.
Where to buy strawflower seeds
Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee (each supplier's strawflower seeds)
Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:
- Silvery Rose (Xerochrysum bracteatum 'Silvery Rose'): A tall, well-branched double-flowered strain in cream and white frosted with rose at the petal tips, bred specifically as a dried flower rather than a garden bedding plant. Buy: Botanical Interests Full notes
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing strawflower" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 10b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Strawflower in USDA zone 10b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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