AnnualsDiscover the right annual plants for your garden.
Truffula ™ Pink globe amaranth ( Gomphrena pulchella ) . exposure by Proven Winners .
Gomphrena(also bang as globe amaranth ) is one of those flower with such resistless magic spell that you ’ll be looking for opportunity to use it everywhere in your garden . This former - fashioned yearly produce a plethora of pompom - corresponding blossom all summer long and work equally well in container system , garden bed , and borders to ply long - lasting color and interest .
This sun lover is heating and drouth tolerant , too , and command slight sustentation once make . And if you wish to uprise your own cut flowers , globe amaranth is one of the practiced . The more you cut it , the more it blooms , and when dried , the flowers hold onto their color indefinitely .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties of Gomphrena|Frequently ask Questions|Design Ideas
On this Thomas Nelson Page :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Gomphrenaspp .
Common names:
Globe amaranth , globe flower , bachelor ’s button ( a nickname shared by several different plant life )
Plant type:
one-year
Exposure:
Full sunlight
Bloom time:
Early summer until icing
Height:
Varies by type , range from dwarf cultivar that turn 6 to 8 inches magniloquent to others , such as ‘ Fireworks ’ , that can get as tall as 4 feet .
Flower colors and characteristics:
Clover - similar flowerheads are in reality made up of colorful bracts ( modified leaves that resemble petals ) in shades of empurpled , pink , red , orangish , or white . The true flowers are tiny and barely perceptible , but if you look closely you ’ll see them peek out from between the papery bract layers .
Foliage:
Typically narrow-minded and elliptical , varying in color from deep common to downcast - green .
HOW TO PLANT GOMPHRENA
Where to plant:
get in a site that welcome full Lord’s Day ( at least 6 60 minutes of direct sunlight day by day ) . AlthoughGomphrenacan tolerate partial ghost , the flush wo n’t be quite as abundant .
When to plant:
Set out bedding plants 2 to 3 weeks after thelast spring rime appointment . If grow from seeds , start them indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost or scatter them instantly in the garden once the grunge has warm up , covering them with a flimsy layer of fine soil .
Soil:
Plant in average , well - drained soil . Globe amaranth is n’t particular when it comes to territory type , and will even tolerate poor or sandy soil as long as it has estimable drainage .
Plant spacing:
Globe amaranth does n’t like to be crowded , so permit sufficient cubital joint room between plants to insure good air circulation . When growing in masses , distance works at least a pes apart .
GOMPHRENA CARE
Water:
Although drought tolerant once established , Gomphrenawill benefit from supernumerary hydration during draw out dry piece . weewee whenever the top inch of soil feels ironical to the touch , taking care to piss flora at the soil line to keep the farewell dry and prevent fungal diseases .
Amendments and fertilizer:
This light birdfeeder does n’t need much fertilizer to prosper . Incorporating some compost or other organic issue into the soil at planting time will normally bring home the bacon enough victuals for a summertime ’s worth of bloom . If the quality of your garden grime is poor , amalgamate a slow - release granular fertilizer into the soil for an extra nutritional rise .
For container - grow industrial plant , utilize a high - quality potting mix stop a continuous - expiration works food . Be thrifty not to over - fertilize , which will encourage the plant to bring about more foliation instead of flush .
Pruning and deadheading:
Globe amaranth does not call for pinching or deadheading to put on a uninterrupted show of salad days . However , if you want to encourage bushier growth , specially when grow taller salmagundi , you may pinch back plants by about one-half early on in the growing time of year , cutting the stems just above a set of leave . lop off the rosiness for use of goods and services as cut flowers will also encourage branching and promote a young bloom of blooms later in the season .
Pests and diseases:
Resists most vulgar insect pest , as well as cervid and rabbits . Powdery mildewand leaf spot can sometimes be trouble , peculiarly if there is poor zephyr circulation between plants . ( Find moredeer - immune annuals and perennial . )
VARIETIES OF GOMPHRENA
Truffula ™ pinkish globe amaranth . Photo by Proven Winners
Truffula ™ Pink — purchase now from Proven WinnersGomphrena pulchella
Tufted orbs of live - pinko heyday seem to dance in the wind above well - branched mounds of narrow leaf . Blooms all summer long and beyond , often going strong well into October . first-class for use as a thriller or filler in garden bed and container combinations .
Height:22 to 28 inchesSpread:22 to 26 inches
2023 National Annual of the Year
Photo by Duckeesue / Shutterstock
' Strawberry Fields’Gomphrena haageana’Strawberry Fields '
Has stun bright red blooms that resemble strawberries in both color and shape , apply atop long , stout stems . The lifelike crimson flowers hold their color exceptionally well when dry .
Height:18 to 24 inchesSpread:12 in
pic by Nomis_h / Shutterstock
' Fireworks’Gomphrena globosa’Fireworks '
Fuchsia - colored bract accented by lilliputian yellow flowers resemble an explosion of fireworks on this marvelous , 4 - foot plant . butterfly and bees will constellate to the brightly colored prime , which are farm in cornucopia until the first hard frost . A big choice for the back of a cheery border .
Height:3 to 4 feetSpread:3 to 4 understructure
Photo by Rock Giguere / Millette Photomedia
Ping Pong ® PurpleGomphrena globosa’Ping Pong Purple '
Deep purplish ball - shaped flower land vivacious colour and a classifiable silhouette to garden beds and borders . walk out when set en masse shot or in combination withyellow - flowering annuals and perennials , such as sunflowers and coreopsis .
Height:16 to 20 inchesSpread:8 to 10 inchesOther colors in the series : White , lavender
Photo by JJL Greenhouse , Inc. / Flickr
QIS ™ CarmineGomphrena haageana’QIS Carmine '
bright carmine red flowers come out in summer , heighten above svelte disconsolate - greenish foliage . A superb cold shoulder bloom , with a vase animation of 2 weeks or longer .
Height:24 to 26 inchesSpread:8 to 10 inchesOther colors in the series : Orange , cherry-red
pic by Missouri Botanical Garden
' Buddy Purple’Gomphrena globosa’Buddy Purple '
This dwarf excerption sport dainty globe - determine flowers alight above dense mounds of attractive immature leaves . Because of its short stem , it ’s not as bouquet - well-disposed as other varieties . However , the compact sizing do it a sound choice for the front of the moulding , as an edging plant life , or for use inrock gardens .
Height:8 to 12 inchesSpread:8 to 12 inchesOther color in the series : White , rose
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
IsGomphrenaan annual or perennial?
Although it can be grown as a perennial in modest climates ( zones 9 - 11 ) , it is handle as a strong - time of year annual elsewhere . ( See : read the Difference Between Annual and Perennial Plants . )
Can I grow globe amaranth from seed?
Yes , Gomphrenais loose to propagate from seed . However , the germination rate is abject , so if you are plant seed in the natural spring , sow them evenly and generously . you could thin out the seedlings later when they reach a top of 1 to 2 inches . ( Learn your own plant from seed . )
How do I dry globe amaranth flowers?
Harvest the efflorescence after the flowers have fully spread out and pillage the leaves from the stems . wed the bare stem in bunches and hang the bloom upside down to dry out in a well - ventilated place , out of direct sunlight . Once dried , the flowerheads are great addition to flowered arrangements and guile projects . The undermentioned spring , you may crush the dry out flowers and toss them into the garden to relinquish the seeds for another time of year of blooms .
Are globe amaranth plants toxic?
No . In fact , all parts of the plant life are edible and posture no threat to people or animals . The flowers are sometimes used to brew teas that are said to have anti - oxidant and medicinal place .
Is globe amaranth invasive?
No . AlthoughGomphrenamay self - seed under the right conditions , the seedlings are easy to absent from areas where they are unwanted . Not to be confuse with the larger Palmer amaranth ( Amaranthus palmeri ) which has been ruled invasive in many areas .
IDEAS FOR USING GOMPHRENA
Use in container gardens as a magniloquent accent plant , combine it with a mounding plant , such asverbenaorcalibrachoa , for a full , lush feel . ( See thiscolorful container recipe ) . Photo by Proven Winners .
Grow in the cutting garden for use of goods and services in both fresh and dried flower arrangements . ( point : Truffula ® Pink globe amaranth combined with blueangeloniaandSuncredible ® jaundiced sunflowers . ) Photo by Proven Winners .
industrial plant in apollinator garden , along with other sunshine - have it off yearbook and perennials that are extremely attractive to bee and butterflies . ( See thispollinator garden landscape painting design ) . picture by Proven Winners .
Plant improbable , airier cultivar in borders among other sunshine lovers , such assalviaandfirecracker plant , to add grain and movement . Because globe amaranth is loaded with flowers from plant time until frost , you wo n’t need many works to make a big impact . exposure by Proven Winners .
employ to add vibrant colour and whimsical beauty to an informal bungalow - style garden , along with other traditionalcottage garden favorite . ( Try thiscottage garden combination . ) Photo by Proven Winners .
