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Craspedia globosa

drumsticks

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Bright, bobbing yellow flowerheads bring instant structure and movement to sunny planting schemes, standing proudly above soft mounds of silvery-green foliage on tall, wiry stems. Craspedia globosa is loved for its unusual globe-shaped blooms, which appear through summer and into autumn, creating a strong architectural look that works brilliantly in prairie-style borders, gravel gardens, and contemporary planting.

The neat rosettes of narrow, lightly hairy leaves stay low to the ground, allowing the vivid flowers to take centre stage while weaving easily between ornamental grasses and drought-tolerant perennials. The long-lasting blooms are excellent for cutting and dry beautifully indoors, holding both their colour and shape well after harvest.

Best grown in full sun with sharply drained soil, Craspedia thrives in lean, gritty conditions where many softer perennials struggle. Its cheerful colour and tidy habit make it an easy way to add contrast, texture, and a splash of late-season brightness to borders and containers alike.

How to care for Craspedia globosa:

Plant in a sunny, sheltered spot with sharply drained soil. It performs particularly well in gravel gardens, raised beds, and dry borders where the stems stay sturdy and upright. Avoid overly rich soil, which can encourage softer growth, and water regularly during establishment before reducing watering once plants settle in.

Deadheading will help prolong flowering, though leaving some blooms in place adds structure and provides seed heads for drying. In colder or wetter UK gardens it is often treated as an annual, although plants may overwinter successfully in very free-draining conditions in southerly locations.

Sowing instructions:

Sow indoors from late winter to early spring on the surface of moist, free-draining seed compost, lightly pressing them in rather than covering heavily, as they benefit from light to germinate. Keep trays warm at around 18-21°C (65-70°F) and lightly moist while seedlings establish, which usually takes around 2-3 weeks.

Once large enough to handle, pot seedlings on individually and grow them in bright, airy conditions before hardening off and planting outside after the risk of frost has passed. In milder parts of the UK, seeds can also be started outdoors in late spring once the soil has warmed.
Flowering period:
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Eventual height:
0.6m
Eventual spread:
0.4m
Position:

Full sun

Rate of growth:

Average

Soil:

Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)

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