Dried Craspedia

Craspedia is a unique plant because it retains its natural yellow colour even after drying. The thin, long stems of dried kraspedia end in leafless, spherical inflorescences.

Craspedia

Craspedia (Pycnosorus globosus), also called billy buttons or billy balls, is an annual plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is native to warm regions of the globe, mainly Australia, Tanzania and New Zealand. It is also increasingly found in gardens in other parts of the world. In Europe, it has gained immense popularity in Italy. In Poland, kraspedia is still relatively unknown. The main reason for this is its lack of frost resistance, which means that new seedlings have to be grown every year. Recently, dried craspedia has become much more popular than the garden plant. It is most often used by florists to prepare decorations from dried flowers. Fresh flowers, on the other hand, often appear in wedding and special occasion bouquets. It is worth mentioning that the spherical, yellow inflorescences of craspedias attract butterflies, which increases the aesthetic value of the plant.

What does craspedia look like?

Before flowering, craspedia forms dense clumps, similar to grass clumps and composed of narrow, dark green leaves covered with tomentum, which gives them their characteristic silver glow. The leaves reach 20 to 30 cm in height and bend outwards halfway along their length. From July until the first frosts, craspedia produces beautiful inflorescences on bare shoots growing up to 70 cm tall. They are spherical in shape and up to 3 cm in diameter. Craspedium inflorescences are bright yellow in colour. They consist of a dozen or so individual flowers, commonly known as fringes. Craspedium inflorescences are very durable. They can last up to two weeks in a vase. They are also perfect for drying, which can extend their life span to up to several years.

Craspedia in natural conditions and in the garden

Under natural conditions, craspedia grows in dry and sunny areas. It is found on mountain slopes, ruderal areas and wasteland. In Europe, however, it is a garden plant. It creates wonderful compositions with ornamental grasses and other species of plants grown for dry bouquets, including limonium and gypsophila. Craspedia is also used to plant the edges of lawns. Its intense yellow inflorescences fit perfectly into prairie, naturalistic, rural, English and modern garden arrangements. The plant also works fantastically in rock gardens. It is suitable for growing in containers – on balconies or terraces.

Craspedia does not require special growing conditions. It can grow in shaded areas, although it blooms most profusely in sunny locations. The plant prefers well-drained soils rich in nutrients. It can grow in soils of any pH, although it should be remembered that highly acidic soils are not conducive to the lush development of the species. Craspedia does not tolerate sub-zero temperatures, which means that in many countries it can only be grown as an annual plant. However, preparing seedlings is not difficult. To do this, sow the seeds in a tunnel or cold frame in February or March. When the seedlings have several true leaves, they can be pricked out and transplanted into larger pots. The plant is placed in the ground in the second half of May. Craspedia tolerates temporary drought well. However, it is important to ensure that the soil is not too moist, as this will cause the plant to die. Regular weeding is also an important maintenance measure to ensure proper development. Craspedia for drying should be cut at the beginning of flowering.

The use of craspedia

An unquestionable advantage of craspedia is that its inflorescences retain their beautiful, intense colour after drying. For this reason, the plant is widely used in floristry. It is perfect for compositions decorating homes and commercial premises, including those where special events are organised.

Dried craspedia in floristry

Dried craspedia is often used in wedding decorations. Due to its intense yellow colour and spherical shape, it works well in fashionable compositions with a citrus theme. It can also be combined with other fruits to create designs that decorate the wedding hall, including guest tables and the presidential table. Craspedia is often added to bridal bouquets, although in this case it is rarely used as one of the base plants – it usually provides an interesting, distinctive accent to the bouquet or corsage.

It is also worth noting that dried craspedia is an excellent floral material for unusual compositions – artistic and abstract, in which a small number of plants is compensated for by the original line or shape of the work. It is suitable for sophisticated designs in which vegetables and fruits appear alongside flowers – it corresponds perfectly with their rounded shapes. It should also be remembered that dried craspedia works fantastically well in ikebana.

The yellow colour of craspedia flowers makes them look beautiful in all spring decorations. They go well with greenery. Craspedia can also be used to create Easter decorations, in which other elements appear alongside plant material – eggs, ribbons or feathers.

Dried craspedia in handicrafts

The plant is also valued by craft enthusiasts. It is phenomenal for creating floral jewellery, including headdresses, bracelets and necklaces. It can be woven into head wreaths or decorative wreaths adorning walls, windows and doors. Individual flowers can be used to decorate macramé. They are also useful for artistic gift wrapping. There is nothing to prevent you from using dried craspedias in floral paintings and decorations under glass domes.

Dried craspedia in photography

Interestingly, dried craspedia is valued not only by florists, but also by professional photographers. It works wonderfully as a decoration in product photos. It is original and at the same time does not distract attention from the subject playing the leading role in the photograph. It is perfect for stylised photo shoots for both individuals and companies wishing to promote their services.

Dried craspedia in decorations

Dried craspedia is a very versatile plant and can be successfully used in many decorations, such as:

• bouquets and special occasion arrangements 
• decorations in vases and pots 
• head wreaths
• door and table wreaths  
• decorative arrangements
• 3D floral paintings and framed flowers 
• photo walls 
• hanging compositions and so-called floral clouds 
• compositions under glass domes
• window displays (visual merchandising) 
• props for photo shoots 
• floral sets and photo shoots 
• creative shipping 
• trade fair stand arrangements
• floral spatial decorations 

Which dried flowers go well with craspedia?

The minimalist, even austere form of craspedia makes it a very versatile plant. It looks great on its own – placed in a simple vase, it can become a fantastic decoration for a modern space. It looks equally interesting in rustic compositions – complemented by dried grains and grasses. It can be safely combined with avena , wheat, triticale and even sorghum. It looks great in the company of timothy, briza, setaria, stipa and even typha. It creates a very interesting contrast with eryngium, delphinium or other blue flowers – including dyed ones. As a complement to the composition, it also works well in bouquets based on preserved eucalyptus, ruscus or dried palm leaves.

Dried craspedia at Blosmi

Blosmi offers bunches of dried craspedias consisting of 5 or 30 stems, each approximately 50-60 cm long. The inflorescences are characterised by their intense colour and durability. Before shipping, they are carefully packaged and protected against damage.